The Witch of Blackwell
by PriestessAmy
Summary: An AU in which Kate developed a rebellious streak at an early age and left Christianity. By the time she arrives at Blackwell, she's found a home in Wicca. In a twist of fate, she develops a relationship with Victoria Chase, of all people, and begins to learn that magic is more real than she ever could have imagined.
1. An Intimate Reading

There was a girl that no one at Blackwell really talked to, or even talked about. She had no friends, she kept to herself, and any teasing that was directed her way was practically useless. Victoria had to _work_ to appear untouchable, and that weirdo Caulfield was so pie-in-the-sky that nothing could seemingly bring her down. But with Kate Marsh it was as effective as telling a brick wall how much it sucked. She truly did not care what people thought or said. There were a million rumors circulating about her, but no one could confirm any of them. But there was one in particular that had Victoria thinking more and more.

"I hear she's a witch," Taylor had said in a hushed, eager tone. They were watching her walk from the main building to the dorms. "Not like that week when Alyssa said she worshiped the Mother Goddess or whatever, like an actual witch. She can cast hexes and tell the future and shit. Apparently Hipster McSelfie actually got her to say more than three words. I don't know what that weirdo's secret is..."

The future. If there was one thing Victoria could really use, it was a look to the future. A chance to know which fashions would be coming into popularity, when someone was thinking about breaking up with her, when her friend would backstab her, what college she would go to... Love, life, everything would be hers to toy with.

So, she would go where no one went before. She approached the door with the dry erase slate bearing some inexplicable sigil, and knocked gently. Nothing. But she'd kept a close eye on the bizarre girl, and knew she wasn't in the main building so she had to be here. She huffed, unable to believe anyone would have the nerve to make a Chase wait, much less ignoring one. So she knocked again. Still nothing. No, this would not stand. She was dedicated now, and she would bug the shit out of this girl until she talked to her. She knocked again, louder still, and actually let out a little cry of surprise when the door was opened almost immediately.

"You were here the whole time? Why didn't you just answer like a normal human being?"

And Kate just smiled at her, this knowing smile, motioning for Victoria to enter her room. She was angry, but she was also incredibly intrigued. She entered, and found herself surprised by how inoffensive it all was. There were a lot of confusing items that she had no frame of reference for, but there was a severe lack of severed goat's heads or pentagrams or whatever. In a way, it was almost weirdly inviting. There were wall-hangings and decorations of various religious icons from all faiths. Her desk was covered not in arcana and grimoires but regular old schoolwork – notably covered in A's.

"Third time's a charm. That's what they say, right?"

Victoria snapped out of it and looked over at her again. She had this... smile. It wasn't cocky, or cruel, or really anything. It was almost nice, and sort of inviting. More to the point, it was disarming. "Wha...?"

"Third time's a charm? The number three? It's a very important number. Seekers of knowledge are often told they must ask three times before they are given what they long for. That's why you're here, yes?" It was a little bit tough to think. She was articulate, and smart, and seemed wise despite being practically the same age. "I'm sorry, perhaps I'm being too presumptuous. You're Victoria, right?" The girl offered her a hand and she took it, shaking slowly. Even Kate's own outfit was hardly what you would expect. No real darkness, mostly earth tones and soft fabrics. A sweater that was slightly too big for her body and a flowing skirt that went down to her calves. Even her hair had a sort of earthy coloring to it, and it hung around her face in natural waves and curls.

"Yeah. Um, yes, I'm Victoria. Rumor has it you do fortune-telling." That smile never wavered, and now Kate was chuckling softly. "What? Is it true or not?"

"Sort of. No palms or crystal balls. I'm just fascinated by tea leaf reading. If you're interested, I'd be happy to read for you sometime. But it can take a little while, so you may need to set some time aside..." It was the eyes, too. They were slightly sunken, deep, the eyes of someone far older than 18.

"Sure. Saturday then. Seven alright with you?" Victoria was trying desperately to stay standoffish but it was like Kate could see right through her facade. She didn't like it. But she didn't hate it either. It was weird, that was all.

Kate laughed again, proving that she wasn't entirely without a sense of humor. It was a gentle laugh, no judgment in it at all. "You don't have some big party to get to? The way I understand it, the Vortex Club never stops partying."

"If you're as good as you seem to think, then it will be worth missing a party. And if I'm not satisfied with my 'reading' then we'll be having words."

"Very well. Saturday at seven." Kate moved with a certain grace as she opened the door once more, and before she knew it Victoria was back in the hallway, staring at the now-closed door in disbelief. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

…

So that was how Victoria had found herself, promptly at seven, sitting on a large pillow, across a little table from Kate Marsh, who was sitting on her own cushion. It was all rather un-elaborate. Kate had pulled out a worn mug and a thrift store electric kettle. "I sort of expected more pomp and circumstance."

"Number one rule of magic: Ingredients are key, unless you're not very wealthy, in which case you do what you must. Ultimately, tea is tea. I'm not actually reading the leaves, I'm reading you." She looked directly at Victoria as she said this, and the blonde felt a little chill travel through her. But nerves aside, there was no turning back now. The kettle clicked to alert them that the water was ready. Despite the unimpressive instruments, Kate poured the water with the kind of patience and care reserved for a musical instrument. It was... beautiful.

No, it was weird. It was weird that she believed in all this stuff. Victoria still had her doubts, and was hoping that if nothing else this might be an excuse to turn Kate into her new target. She'd been getting bored lately. "Now, we just give it a bit of time to seep..." Oh hell, when did they get to the part where she actually heard her fortune? "In the meantime, tell me a bit about yourself. I can't really give a proper reading if I don't know the tea drinker."

Victoria hesitated, and took a moment to compose herself. "Well, I'm a photographer. I'm particularly fond of fashion photography, though there is something about a perfectly captured landscape that just..." She stopped, and her brow furrowed. Dammit, this Kate girl was far too good at giving her room to let her walls down. "They... just... um, make me incredibly happy..." And, as always, the mysterious student just smiled and nodded in understanding. "My family is a rather big name, locally, and my parents can be pretty... Hm, they're often busy, and maintain incredibly high standards on themselves as well as me."

That apparently satisfied the witch and the cup was finally slid toward her. "I'm afraid the process requires that nothing extra be added. It's a delicious tea, but there are no sweeteners. Think of it as... the aesthetic price you pay for a spiritual journey."

The blonde said nothing, feeling she'd already said more than enough. She sipped the tea, and though it was bitter, it was also light and airy and had a lovely floral aroma that she might not have noticed with sugar or honey added. And Kate just sat there with legs crossed, watching her all the while, intent, baring down on her with curiosity. Perhaps she was being overly honest when she said she would be reading Victoria as well as the leaves. She closed her eyes and tried to shut out the feeling of that gaze boring right through her.

The cup was drained and she finally passed it back. Showing that same odd tenderness, Kate swirled it slightly and peered close at the remnants within. "You have a boyfriend?" she said, coolly.

"What? Er, no, I'm... playing the field."

"Good." _Good? What the hell does that mean?_ Victoria must have had a pretty definite look of frustration, because Kate held the cup out for her to see, motioning to a vaguely heart-shaped lump near the rim. "I was having some difficulty making this out. Naturally, it indicates love. For those with a deep romantic connection, it could symbolize infidelity or a treacherous love triangle. Otherwise, it's good news. Attraction in your future"

"How vague..." she muttered dubiously.

Kate seemed unphased. "It's not a science, it's an art. Besides, it's not as if I'm telling you you're _going_ to hook up. What happens is still your choice. What good is fate if we cannot defy it?"

 _Fair point._ She nodded. "What else?"

"Hmmm, would you say photography is a _passion_ of yours?"

Well, Victoria didn't exactly like the idea of being passionate about anything. Of course she was passionate about many things. But she didn't like someone calling her out on it. "Such a thing could be called accurate, I suppose."

For perhaps the first time ever, she saw Kate actually get a little frustrated with her. It was oddly terrifying. "This won't go nearly as well if you continue to bar my efforts at every turn, Victoria Chase. Now, it's just the two of us here, and if you want to understand how the mists of time will affect you, then I suggest you get over yourself." She never raised her voice. It wasn't cruel, she spoke earnestly.

"Photography. ...I love it. Whether it's crafting a perfect scene or capturing a surprising moment, I can't seem to get enough... Does that answer your question?"

"Thank you~ There are opportunities in your future, if you're observant and careful. And above all, you must be willing to seek counsel, advice, and help. Perhaps someone knows something you don't. Maybe they know a secret spot where the sun sets just right. And if you think someone would make a perfect model, be sure to tell them."

 _I could think of someone, a certain witch with eyes that just scream for a close-up._ She might have been alright with having this thought by itself, but her face flushed, and with the way Kate seemed to notice everything, that was sure to be seen too. "Okay, I'll keep that in mind..."

"Hmmm, success marker... fortune, no surprise there... Ah, butterfly. Lots of those going around, Max had one as well." That comment caused just a tiny flare of jealousy in Victoria's heart. She wasn't even the first to get a reading? Hmm, she would have to see how things went with Caulfield. Compare notes, check that Kate wasn't a total fraud.

"And... what's the butterfly mean?"

"Changes in your future, expect the unexpected, a transformation – often of self. Oh! And a lovely little swirly right at the bottom." Victoria's head canted to the side, and this time the little witch actually chuckled like a normal human. "That's one of my personal touches. Means you get another reading if fate is kicking your ass particularly hard."

And suddenly it was over. The blonde wished she had some sort of excuse to remain a while longer, which was a new experience to say the least. Normally she went where she pleased. But she actually felt like a trespasser here, only allowed to be seated on this cushion by the grace of the witch across from her. "Well... It certainly sounds like things will be going my way for a bit."

"Mmm, **if** you bare my warnings in mind. Even the best omen can blow up in your face if you're not careful."

Victoria stood up and started for the door. "I'll remember that. Thanks, Marsh. You're alright."

"I know." she said cryptically, and began cleaning up as Victoria left.

…

"So, how was your date with the Witch of Blackwell?" Courtney asked her curiously. "I hope it was worth missing the party. Dana and me did a table dance. Guys were actually throwing dollar bills at us. It was hilarious!"

"Yeah, that's... great, Court." She sighed, propping her chin in her palm. "I suppose it was worth it. Magical confirmation that I am as amazing as I think."

"You could have had the same experience if you'd joined us in dancing, Tori. What's better for self-esteem than having guys drooling over you just because you're shaking your hips a little? I mean, going into that den of weirdness? What if she cast some weird secret spell on you?"

Victoria actually felt herself get a little heated, and wanted to jump to Kate's defense. She had turned out to be okay, even if she wasn't bothered by all the comments behind her back, she didn't really deserve it. She was literally not bothering a soul. "Ease up. She's cool, just a little creepy. You get used to it..."

Taylor was usually the more in-tune of the two, and she was a little more quick to notice the change in tone. "So, are we talking like 'potential Vortex' cool, or just 'don't maliciously end her' cool?"

"Pretty sure she's a little too weird for the club, but I'd say she's proven she doesn't need to be taken down a peg. She does her own thing. I can respect that." She decided to skip over the fact that she'd be doing another reading at some point. No sense making them worry that she was losing it. But she also wasn't going to dare miss another party either. People had a way of noticing these things if it happened too often.

…

Victoria was grateful she didn't have to bother with knocking three times, nor was she terribly surprised that Kate seemed to be expecting her, even though it was a lazy Sunday afternoon when she next visited. She took her spot on the pillow as she had done before, and settled in, still not entirely sure what she was doing back. Her fortune likely hadn't exactly changed in just over a week. And she knew by now she couldn't exactly lie to her.

"You wish to know more about your whirlwind romance, I take it?" The question caught her off-guard, though she was fully aware it shouldn't have. She tried not to think too hard about it and just nodded.

"I'm not usually fond of being tied down by one... person. So I guess I want a better idea of what to expect? Like, who in the world could make me settle down? I find it tough to believe anyone would be capable of that." It was about as close as she could get to the truth without actually saying everything that was on her mind.

"Very well, this might be a moment." Kate went in search of the proper tea, giving Victoria another chance to admire her room. It really did have a homey feel to it, but there was just enough youth present to remind her she was still in the dorms. There was an icon of Jesus right next to a figurine of Gautama Buddha. Eclectic didn't even begin to describe this girl's tastes. Somehow, Victoria had also managed to completely miss the presence of a small white rabbit.

"I thought witches kept black cats..." she mused, but apparently Kate heard her. She was returning with a pouch of loose leaf tea and took her spot.

"They're only one of many options for familiars. It must be chosen carefully, just as you would any pet. Can you see me maliciously stroking a sleek black cat?"

Well, that made sense. "It suits you."

"Her name is Alice, by the way. Generally, rabbits help to stimulate creativity and awareness. They're also prized, because they boost fertility and intimacy~" Kate's gaze never broke, nor her calm and steady tone of voice. Victoria was not nearly so collected, and her blooming cheeks spoke volumes. "Mostly, she just provides a fluffy companion for when I'm having an off day..."

That last comment broke the tension and Victoria let out a little sigh. "That's adorable." _Lucky rabbit_ , she thought to herself. The blonde jumped a little when the electric kettle suddenly clicked, and she sat there bashfully as Kate prepared her tea. "Unlike last time, there is an extra step. Try to focus as you drink. You will have to center your energies. If you... have someone in mind, it may help to picture them. Otherwise, just, y'know, focus on warm fuzzies."

Tori took the cup and drank as directed. She was tempted to press her luck and focus specifically on the witch, but she found she didn't quite have the courage, what with her sitting right there. It was definitely a new blend, though tough to put her finger on. Rose and chamomile? She was hardly an expert. It actually had a kind of natural sweetness to it, and she felt more at ease as she drank it down.

She passed it back to Kate and waited patiently as she swirled and stared. "Your love. A relative stranger to your midst... Unknown, both literally and metaphorically..."

"Metaphorically?" That was a new one. What the hell could that mean?

"Mmmm, someone who comes from another world. Different, yet familiar," she explained, then moved on down the spiral of the cup. "Ah. A house. You must... Well, I'm interpreting a little more than normal here, but... You will likely lose your chance if you maintain your old ways. Whether you open the door or break down the wall, if they cannot get in, they will pass you by for somewhere more hospitable."

Victoria watched carefully, and noted just a hint more smiling than last time. She wondered what Kate found so amusing. "An unexpected physical attraction. What's your type, Victoria?"

"What?"

"Well, whatever it is, stop it. The tea has spoken and the pattern is clear. Your old ways suited you fine for playing the field. If you wish to experience love, it's recommended you continue to push away from your comfort zone." Kate apparently saw Victoria looking a little bit concerned and smiled in understanding at her. "You don't have to stop being the queen of your little club. Just be aware that sometimes it's okay to make a secret known. You might find you're... respected more because of it."

…

Kate had been feeling relatively confident about how things were going lately. She didn't expect to fall for the tall, handsome queen of the Vortex Club, but here she was. She certainly didn't expect Victoria to show up at her door asking for a reading. It would be nice to think that she was so clever as to bamboozle her way into saying all those things about the girl.

But she was too nice for that, too honest. She read what she'd seen, and what she saw in both the cup and the girl had been plain as day. She wore multiple masks at the same time, and rarely if ever allowed someone to see her for who she was. She needed someone who could actually call her on her bullshit, but could do so gently.

It was barely two hours since Victoria had left her room. No one else was really planning on coming by, so she settled into bed with Alice in her lap and curled up with a book. So when someone knocked at their door, she ignored it. Probably some nonsense that she didn't feel like dealing with. She was certain they had gone away, when suddenly they knocked again. Frowning, she placed Alice back in her cage and went to investigate. It was only as she stood there waiting that it dawned on her what this could possibly mean.

There was a third knock, more insistent. She opened her door, and there stood Victoria in all of her not-glory, apparently having taken Kate's advice rather literally. She had allowed her hair to lose some of its perfection, her make-up was entirely removed, and she'd changed into some unimpressive pajamas. Most notably, in her hand she held a copy of _Kiki's Delivery Service_.

"Third time's a charm" Kate purred as she reached up, pulling Victoria into an emphatic kiss. She was clearly surprised by this, as the DVD case clattered from her hand to the floor before she leaned more into it, her own arms going around the fluffy little witch.

Kate hadn't been expecting this to happen so soon. But you had to learn to expect the unexpected, sometimes.


	2. Nice and Accurate

Kate rolled off Victoria with all the grace she possessed, exhausted and sated and ready for some relaxation. Despite presumably being Victoria's first ever experience with another woman, she picked up quickly and showed absolutely no hang-ups about her newly discovered bisexuality. That had made her life significantly easier, but already she was starting to learn that even if Victoria were the most fumbling screw-up, she liked her too much for it to matter. It was only slightly terrifying considering they hadn't even been at this a month and she was already falling.

Honestly, Kate had expected Victoria's deep-seated anxieties to come to the fore and make everything difficult, but the blonde was just full of surprises. A week after their first proper 'encounter' where they didn't so much watch the Miyazaki film as they did listen to the stirring audio while getting lost in one anothers' embrace, they were already officially dating. And her girlfriend, ever the queen, simply began taking her everywhere. "This is Kate. She's mine. Deal with it." And that was that. The head bitch in charge was shacking up with the mysterious witch and nobody questioned it too much.

They had just returned from her first ever Vortex Club party, and it had been more or less what she'd expected. She had, she hated to admit, a pretty good time, though she confessed after they left that she wasn't sure she would be attending nearly as frequently as Victoria did. Something about the atmosphere just didn't sit right with her. The problem wasn't that something bad could happen, but almost like something bad should have happened and didn't.

Victoria was understanding, if maybe a tad disappointed to not have her, to quote, 'gorgeous arm candy to make everyone jealous'. Kate would have been lying if she said she wasn't honored. She was an old soul, as much like an old woman as she was a teenager. It could sometimes be difficult to think of herself as 'arm candy'. She knew she had a degree of grace, and her hair was one of her favorite features. But she wasn't generally praised for looks, not when people were too busy being weirded out by her.

Any and all doubts were gone the moment she thought Victoria was dropping her off at her dorm. Kate went into her room, and Victoria clung to her all the tighter, shutting the door behind them. She began kissing at Kate's neck, and, well, she couldn't let her walk all the way to her own room, not in that state. Drunk and in love, they were soon making out on her bed, and before long they were doing far more. Cashmere and soft cotton formed a pile on the floor, and they were in quite the tangled mess on Kate's bed. She nearly ruined the perfect moment when she began giggling because Alice was staring straight at them. Victoria gently threw a sheet over the cage and they were able to get back to the matter at hand.

And now they lay snuggling and gasping for air as they came down from their simultaneous high, gazing at one another and...

Kate's eyes widened slightly. It was wrong, so very wrong, the epitome of wrong, to go and read the aura of someone you were intimate with. Not only was it kind of spoiling the surprise, but more importantly it was an invasion of privacy. And unfortunately, Victoria had seen the look that passed over her face and became instantly worried. "Katie? What's wrong? D-Did I do okay? I promise, I'm not opposed to constructive criticism on my form..." Kate felt a delicate hand graze her cheek and her eyes closed as she leaned into the touch instinctively.

"Gods, no, you did a wonderful job! No, I just... thought I saw... something..." Victoria wasn't used to seeing Kate be bashful. Kate wasn't used to seeing Victoria be self-conscious. It was an insanely delicate moment, and for all that they felt for one another, Victoria was still rather dubious about her witchery. Kate couldn't blame her, really.

"What kind of something? Magic something?" To her delight, Victoria actually seemed intrigued rather than frustrated. Not humoring her, but earnestly curious. Well she'd already done it. Perhaps it was best to just be honest.

"It was your... aura..." She immediately burrowed in the pillows and groaned. Just saying it already made her feel foolish. Tea reading was at least kind of an interesting art, something you could do as a party trick or to actually better understand someone. But auras were seen as far less realistic, the stuff of fairytales and the like. But Victoria seemed to really, really be trying, and she felt those fantastic nails begin to rake through her brown locks.

"It's okay, just tell me. You know me, I won't rest until I find out, even if I don't understand..."

Kate awkwardly removed her face from the pillows again and looked at her, still relatively red-faced and embarrassed. "You were glowing. Shining. A brilliant shade of pink. I don't even really do auras, and I could see it, so that's saying something."

"And just what, precisely, is it saying?" Victoria had a smirk painted across her face, but where Kate thought she might see disbelief or smug amusement, it was more like assured confidence.

"I don't know if it's my place to say too much. On this particular subject." It had been years since she had felt this vulnerable. When she was young and still very much involved in her fundamentalist church, she used to be very passionate and open, and quite emotional. Since her deconversion, she'd built some very careful walls. She found them difficult to maintain around Victoria.

"Well, then, why don't you just give me the basic rundown, and I'll tell you how accurate you are."

Kate settled down and let her head rest against Victoria's bare chest, her fingers tracing idle patterns on her stomach, admiring the tone and texture. "Well, it's generally related to passion. Anything from lust to romance to... deeper emotions. And the way your aura was radiating... whatever you felt was... very deep. Of course it's not surprising to have a pink aura at a time like this, but you..."

There was a split second as the old Victoria returned and gave Kate an impressive eye-roll. She barely had time to process it as some kind of negative emotion before her chin was cupped and she found herself pulled into a passionate kiss. When she looked her girlfriend over again, her aura was vibrant as ever. "It's because... I love you... idiot..."

"By the goddess, you are a tsundere in human form~" Kate groaned and gave Victoria's chest an affectionate squeeze. She found great joy in constantly reminding her girlfriend of what a massive nerd she really was. Case in point, Victoria knew precisely what that meant, but if she got too angry about it, then it just proved how dorky she could be. It was a clever ploy.

She opted to cut off any playful frustration in favor of baring her own soul a moment. "I um... I love you too... I'm sorry I sort of accidentally beat you to the punch there. I didn't mean to..." Her hair was ruffled and she was tipped up into another soft kiss. The sensible side of her brain wanted to rail against her for reaching that word so quickly. But that aura didn't lie, nor her own heart.

And the lovebirds fell asleep, coiled in one anothers' arms.

…...

Kate awoke with a start, giving a sharp cry. She had rather hoped that she would be able to find comfort from her nightmares in Victoria's arms, but her bed was otherwise empty. On her bedside table she found a note from the blonde, she picked it up and smiled warmly as she read it over.

"Class with Jefferson. You were too cute to wake up. I owe you when I get out of class." It had been 'signed' with a kiss in bright red lipstick.

"True to form..." To tide herself over, she kissed the spot on the paper and tossed the page onto her bed, setting about getting ready for her day. As she puttered about, showering, getting dressed, checking on Alice who had spent all night covered by a sheet, something still felt off. Kate's eyes drifted to Victoria's note again and again, but not from a sense of sentimentality. Every time she looked at that page, she felt deep dread.

She couldn't put her finger on it, but Kate was never one to doubt her instincts. No doubt in time things would make sense. If she recalled Victoria's schedule correctly, she should have just been getting out of class. She slung her trusty bag around her shoulder when a tidal wave of energy hit her. Her head was spinning and she dropped to her bed.

Her senses were finally beginning to return to her, and she noted that the piece of paper just next to her seemed to have more writing on the back. It was her own handwriting, but only insofar as it was the kind of writing one might do while in the throes of a terrible dream, or more likely a vision.

 _ **TIME IS NOT A RIVER**_

 _ **IT IS A MAELSTROM**_

 _ **A BUTTERFLY FLAPS**_

 _ **ARCADIA IS GONE**_

Kate stared at the words for a long time before sighing despondently. "At least I know I can literally spell 'maelstrom' in my sleep..."


	3. Searching for Butterflies

Kate was mostly just focused on getting to the bottom of her blackout, and she rushed out the door of the girls' dormitory straight into Victoria's arms. "Woah there, sweetie, slow your roll!" Kate was sure she looked a little manic, despite how hard she tried to calm herself before coming out onto the dorm quad. But the moment she thought for even a second about her nightmare, her blackout, or that prophecy, she began to panic again.

"S-Sorry, Tori, um..." Her brow furrowed and she looked at her girlfriend a moment too long. _The butterfly... The butterfly! Augh, Kate, you idiot!_ "I've just got kind of a vibe, I guess? Anything weird go on during class?"

Victoria had a way of looking both amused and concerned, and it was the kind of thing Kate would have loved to admire for a few hours, but there was work to be done. "Hmm, not really? If I were more of a bitch I would say that Max Caulfield read my mind and stole my answer in class. But... someone dorky being smart isn't exactly weird. I dunno, I guess she was a little distracted after waking up from her mid-class nap... Now that I think about it, Principal Wells and that security guy both looked really confused about the fire drill, like it wasn't planned. Maybe someone was pulling a prank. Would a prank fire off your..." Victoria almost said 'spider-senses', Kate knew, but she would allow herself to go there in public. "...vibes or whatever?"

Taylor was standing just behind Victoria and piped up eagerly. "She was like... really excited to get out of the room, like... she had to go to the bathroom bad, but... Like, I know an excuse when I see one. I think she was looking to get into some serious shit. You think Max could be doing blow in the bathroom or something?"

"Somehow I doubt it..." Kate sighed and looked off toward the rest of the quad.

Almost on cue, Max appeared. Of course, there were at least two butterflies at Blackwell. Probably more, considering how Kate's luck usually went. But unlike Victoria, Max looked like a woman on a mission with a secret or two. She also looked... scared. Kate was friendly towards Max, but not exactly friends with her yet, and she knew there was pretty much no way to do this subtly or quickly. She put on her warmest smile and jogged up to her.

"Max!" She stopped short as there was a brilliant flash across her vision like a camera going off, and her headache began to return. But she tried again regardless. "Um, are you okay? You look a little freaked out" _Have I said this before?_

"Just in a rush. Need to fetch Warren's USB and get it to him in the parking lot. I've already kept him waiting long enough." Kate's ear twitched slightly. It sounded faintly as though somewhere under Max's voice was a continuous white noise composed of four or five very similar voices not so much whispering as talking with the volume turned low. _I don't really have time Yeah I'm just freaked out from that fire drill Not now Kate Wanna get tea later_ It made it incredibly hard to focus on what she was saying, and as much as she tried, she couldn't get Max to hang around. "Talk later!"

Kate found a tree nearby and leaned up against it trying to catch her breath. Whatever the hell had just happened, it seemed to be gone now. Unfortunately, that meant that Max was at the center of it. That was bad. A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump just a little, and she saw Victoria looking at her with genuine concern now. "Katie, you really don't look too good... Let's get you to bed" Victoria grabbed for her hand and she yanked it away unthinkingly. The look of horror on the blonde's face was enough to break her heart.

"S-Sorry, um... I just have one thing I have to do over in the academic building, and then we can relax, okay?" Victoria took her hand again, but didn't attempt to lead her anywhere.

"Seriously, you could collapse any second. I'm not letting you out of my sight. No one will accuse Victoria Chase of being an uncaring girlfriend." There wasn't much room to debate, but Kate couldn't say no to that face anyway, not when she got all pouty and concerned.

In the time it took to get to the other part of campus, it seemed that the fire marshal had finally declared the alarm a prank, and was letting people back into the building. Kate found her way to photography room and looked back and forth down the hallway. She intended to hunt down the closest bathroom, but she didn't have to. There was a definite tug back down the hall and she trailed after it.

She walked through the door, and for a moment it looked for all the world like a crime scene, blood all over the wall. And then it was gone, and everything was totally normal. "Tori, you know I don't generally use harsh language. But something **fucked** is going on here..." She looked over and noticed Victoria rubbing the back of her neck anxiously.

"I've used this bathroom, like, dozens of times and I've never wanted to get out of here so bad before... What the hell?" Victoria wasn't especially attuned in any way, and even she was feeling it. At the expense of sounding repetitive, yes, this was bad. The blonde released hold of her hand and bent down, finding a torn picture. It didn't take much work to recognize the subject as Max. Not long after that, she noticed the broken glass around the fire alarm. "Why in the hell did a goody goody like her do this? You think it's a mental breakdown?"

But Kate was still staring at the wall next to the door. "There should be blood..." She couldn't stop thinking it, and if she didn't get a hold of herself, she'd be repeating it out loud until she was blue in the face. Luckily, something flashed in the corner of her eye and she saw a beautiful insect flapping its way about the bathroom. "How in the world did you even get in here?" Without missing a beat, a shining blue butterfly fluttered down to land on her finger so she could get a better look at its wings. "...Butterfly... No, too literal. You wouldn't destroy the town, would you, little one?" It took flight once again but seemed to constantly hover within a foot of the witch at all times.

"Did I just get replaced by an insect?" Victoria strode back over, pouting playfully. "Wait, destroy the town? Who's doing what now?"

* * *

Despite her best attempts to let the butterfly go free, it remained steadfastly attached to her. There had been a time not too long ago that Kate assumed it would always be just herself and Alice. But now she had Victoria, and that meant she also had a plethora of other friends. And now, the mysterious butterfly that was more than it seemed. Well, no, that wasn't right. The butterfly was exactly what it seemed, which was a glowing, living omen, probably some kind of spirit or something, if she had to wager a guess.

Alice was settled into Kate's lap, the butterfly perched between the bunny's ears, as Kate attempted to explain things to her poor, bewildered girlfriend.

"Remember the first time we met, and I told you that tea reading was as much an art as anything else?" Victoria nodded her head dumbly, obviously unsure what to even say at this point. "Well, that's true of pretty much... everything. I've read a lot, and I've even done a few things, mostly just at the level of, say, party tricks. But today has been a crash course in real-ass stuff. I should have known something was off when I saw your aura. It was my first time, and... your First Time, and I was caught up in the moment. Then I have this nightmare about the town getting wiped out, and I wrote this in my sleep." She showed Victoria the note, and then the backside with the creepy prophecy on the reverse.

"And Max, well... I don't even know what's happening there, except that it's not good. Like she's meddling with something way too big. But all I can see are the effects, not the causes, and..." Kate suddenly stopped talking and realized Victoria was looking even more lost than before. "...sorry, it's confusing enough for me, I can't imagine how crazy I must sound..."

Victoria sighed and nestled in against her, resting her head on Kate's shoulder. "I should be freaked out and worried, I guess. I should be questioning your sanity. But there's definitely something magical about you Kate Marsh. I feel like everyone should secretly or even openly hate my guts, but you mellowed me out so fast it's not even funny. I know it's not much to go on, but even when you're making it up you seem so sure and ready. So either something bad is going to happen, or my girlfriend is a tad paranoid. Either way, we'll get through it together..." Victoria took her hand, and Kate almost felt like she was going to cry. In a good way, but still.

"I'm just going to need a bit of time to put it all together. Even if I'm totally wrong about everything else, there's something... spooky going on. And not Halloween spooky. Like... 'stench of death' spooky." She shivered and held Tori a little closer. "Something... something happened in that bathroom, and then all of a sudden it didn't happen." She sighed and took Alice from her lap, putting her back into her cage, causing the butterfly to flutter up to the top of one of her bookshelves and take up residence. "And now I'm being followed by magical lepidoptera! Totally normal, average, every-day occurrences that every teenage girl deals wi- Aaaahhhhhh!"

Kate's head felt like it was being split wide open and she fell back into Victoria's arms. She was more aware this time, of both her own situation but also whatever she was seeing. Only her girlfriend's surprisingly strong grip could keep her from having a full on spasm. The lighthouse... a deer... That storm again... A wrist with bracelets... A bloody nose... A sleeve tattoo... "Blue butterfly!" Kate shot up to a seated position and gripped her head as it roared in pain. "Gods, yes, I get it, there's a storm coming, I'd like my brain to stop getting fried, thank you..." She was agitated and angry, but there wasn't really anyone or anything to get angry at, so she was just generally irritable now.

It took her a moment to realize that she wasn't alone, and that despite her freak-out, there was something else threatening to steal away Victoria's attention. She followed her line of sight to the window. "Oh. Snow. Great. Good." She walked to the window and placed her hand against the glass. Freezing cold when it had been in the high sixties just an hour or two before. "Nope. Yup. This is happening. Our very own mini-apocalypse. Excellent. Always wanted to see one of those up close."

She sighed and thumped her forehead against the frigid glass. "We have to find Max..."


	4. Unity and Discord

As much as Kate desperately wanted to get out to the lighthouse immediately to find Max, Victoria quickly vetoed that decision in favor of food and sleep. "You're still a teenage girl, and you've passed out two times, and _nearly_ passed out twice as much! There's no way in hell I'm letting you march out in the middle of a freak October snow-whatever just so you can hunt down Maxine Caulfield and this mystery, not-dead dead-girl..."

The blonde sighed as she got up from the bed and peeled Kate away from the window, dragging her back towards the bed and effectively coiling around her so she would stop fidgeting and freaking out. "Baby? Baby." She grabbed Kate's face and forced the witch to look at her. "Even if you found her now, what would you do? You have no plan, no answers. So you might as well build your own strength back up before trying to make any further progress, okay?"

Victoria watched as all the fight finally drained out of the exhausted brunette and she nestled against her with a sigh. "I thought I was just being a good teenager... rebelling against mommy's oppressive religion or whatever... I-I didn't think... I mean, I do believe it! But..." She nodded and pet her hair and let Kate finally get it all out, now that she was done being sarcastic and snarky about everything, and the weight of it truly settled on her shoulders. "This stuff is real, a-and it's going to get worse. Tori, I'm scared."

"Me too, Katie." She kissed her forehead lovingly and resumed petting her. "Me too..."

…

Homework was declared a secondary necessity at that point. Dr. Chase prescribed medicine and bedrest (which is to say she ordered Chinese delivery and spooned the tiny witch all night). All was quiet in the dorm for the rest of the night, and Victoria awoke the next morning to find her girlfriend up, chipper, and ready to go. "No visions, no headache, no exhaustion. I feel amazing!" An embarrassed kiss was delivered to her lips, and it felt nice to see Kate returning to her old calm demeanor. "Thank you. For taking charge and forcing me to settle down."

The blonde beamed and took her hand, trying to make the action as symbolic as possible. "Hey, you saw my aura. I love you, and I'm not going to let you hurt yourself just because you're trying to save everyone. Speaking of which, you're not going anywhere today without me, is that understood? Victoria Chase, your faithful si-"

"You are more than just a sidekick! You're my spunky ally. And..." Kate giggled and stole another kiss, "my sexy love interest. Now get ready while I give Max a call and we figure out where to start."

Victoria hurried to gather some things from her own room and get a shower in. Normally she preferred to take her time, but it seemed as though they were officially on the case and she needed to hurry. Even Kate looked surprised when she finally turned up a bit later, wearing only a touch of makeup, sporting boots, jeans, a worn-in jacket, and a top that would generously be classified as 'last season'. "Don't give me that look, you mentioned blood yesterday. If there's blood today, I'm not letting it get on my nice new clothes."

"It sounded like there was... a lot going on when I called Max, and I think she was getting cussed out by some friend of hers or something? Anyway, she finally relented when I mentioned the bathroom, and we're going to meet her and this other girl at..." Kate paused a moment, still unsure if she even had the right place in mind. "American Rust?"

"Oh, yeah! I went to a few parties out there. Well, I say parties, they were more just places we got drunk when we couldn't do our usual party spots. Considering it's a junkyard, it's not bad. I know the way, so let's do this I guess!" As if the damn thing were sentient, the butterfly descended from it's place on the bookshelf and hovered around Kate, who seemed to have already adjusted to its presence. Victoria felt bothered by it, almost as if they had suddenly been joined by a fairy and no one found it strange. It wasn't natural, but... Well, Kate trusted it, and Victoria trusted Kate, if nothing else.

As promised, the drive to American Rust wasn't long, and Victoria pulled up to a stop in her fancy car behind a thing that might be roughly described as a truck. "This must be them. What the hell kind of degenerate did Max come here with anyway?" The pair climbed out and walked through the gate, where Victoria immediately came to a dead stop and stared at the blue-haired girl enjoying an early-morning beer. "Price?"

"The fuck...? Chase?" Chloe looked in the general direction of the rest of the junkyard. "Max! **Max**! I thought you said there was just one Blackwell nerd coming here!"

On cue, she showed up, emerging from behind a pile of cars, her arms filled with bottles. "I'm hella sorry, Chloe, I... I should have checked if she'd be bringing her girlfriend..." she fumbled apologetically while trying to get the bottles set up in a row on a plank of wood. "This is... kinda sensitive stuff, Kate. Are you sure that's such a good idea?"

Victoria was trying very, very hard not to be pissed at the welcome they were receiving. They'd come here on good faith, and now Max was insinuating she couldn't handle a little weirdness! Kate held up hands in surrender and reached for her bag. It was something everyone had seen her toting around, little more than a pouch on a heavy cord. She explained to Victoria one day that she kept a small notebook inside, as well as a few tiny trinkets and a charm or two. An emergency kit, for lack of any better description. She retrieved her notebook and scanned it for just a moment.

Victoria honestly had no clue what was happening here, but Kate had that amazing look of tired assurance, and it was just so... _Ooof, now is not the time, Victoria. Later._

"Let's see... Panda keychain, 7 cigarettes, 86 cents, 10:34... Broken mug, lonely cop, fighting bros and... a cockroach in a jukebox? Oh, and there's a spectral deer over there that's been watching you this entire time." Despite the laundry list of things Kate had just rattled off that had absolutely no meaning to Victoria – though Max and Chloe both looked blown out of the water – Kate seemed to remember one more thing. "Oh, and this little guy, I think you all know each other?" Both girls seemed especially phased to see the blue butterfly, and Victoria felt all the more out of the loop, but proud of her girlfriend regardless.

Chloe sputtered, unable to believe just how much courage the witch had after all. "Okay, shit, yeah. You're um... You're good..." Chloe and Max shared a look, and Max responded by shrugging in confusion. "So you're, what, psychic?"

Kate shrugged as well and strolled over, watching idly as Chloe began to take aim at the bottles. "Mmm, I wish it were that simple. Frankly, I don't know what exactly is going on. But whatever Max can do, I... see afterimages and hear reverberations and... I-It's weird. I don't actually know what any of that stuff means, but I heard it in my head all morning while I was getting ready, so I figured it might come in handy to write some of it down."

Slowly something seemed to dawn on Max and she looked embarrassed enough to die right then and there. "Oh, Kate! Yesterday, I... Oh no... I must have talked to you four or five different times trying to hurry and get that flash drive to Warren and... but you heard it all?"

Victoria could see the strain on Kate's face already. She wanted to be more calming, to have more answers for them. But only about 48 hours before, this stuff was apparently little more than a fairy tale to her too. "Um... ehhh? It was like deja vu, and then a bunch of sounds all layered together. I might have lost it if..." Victoria was at her side in a flash, holding her hand tightly. "Well, you know. So then you... rewind time?"

"I guess so. That's how I saved Chloe yesterday. And why the bathroom looked... um... Do you want some kind of demonstration or...?"

Kate's reaction was lightning fast, and even Victoria was a little alarmed by it. "No! Please, it's- I don't want to tell you not to do it ever. But it really messes with me." As if to punctuate her point, she would continuously cast a glance at Chloe again, who was still standing there eagerly with her shiny gun in hand. Something about the blue-haired one put her girlfriend ill at ease, and Victoria had to guess it had something to do with her status as both living and dead.

"Maybe you two should go wander a bit while Chloe plays with her new big girl toy, and then we can talk some more?" That idea seemed to appeal to the witch, and she quickly tugged at Victoria's hand. They were a good distance away from the others when the first gunshot went off. Both jumped slightly, but Kate once again looked worse for the wear about the whole thing. They could hear Max directing Chloe where to shoot followed by a shatter.

"It's weird right? Like, she just wakes up and suddenly has this power or whatever? Not even an origin story or anything. Go figure it's way less exciting in the real world..." Victoria was really just trying to talk for the sake of talking, fill the space that otherwise would have Kate's head ringing from all the time nonsense.

There were four gun shots in total, followed by a rather loud crash and Chloe and Max's cheering. Victoria began to giggle, but as she looked toward Kate her face dropped and her heart stopped. The witch was staring straight ahead where the blue butterfly had landed on a slightly discolored patch of ground ground. Her eyes had gone slightly glassy. " _Rachel Amber..._ " was all she said in a hushed voice before collapsing straight into her arms, yet again.

"Shit, Kate!" Back toward the front of the junkyard, Victoria heard Chloe shouting Max's name before calling for help. "Well, fuck..."


	5. Seeing Things

Not four shots. There had to be at least nine all told, and judging by how close together they all were, many of them came from Max slicing time and telling Chloe to try again. The sound of bullets ricocheting, of explosions, of Chloe dying – again – and eventually what she might possibly call the "real actual" sound of the crash. But by then her attention was diverted elsewhere. The butterfly had actually left her side for once, and was traveling over to a bare patch of ground. Well, it would have been a bare patch of ground, but there was some serious magic going on around that spot, and the butterfly was right at the center of it. And just before the darkness engulfed her, a voice. _Rachel... Amber..._ No doubt that she was the only one that heard it, and she had no clue that she'd repeated it out loud.

The voice continued in her dreams, but upon waking Kate couldn't remember a word of it, only that she had been spoken to. She came to, laying on a less-than-comfortable seat with her head in Victoria's lap. She was in a sort of shed, an unassuming and slightly gross location, and it seemed that Max had passed out the same time she had – or more likely, the other way around. "Ah, thank fuck, you're back in the land of the living~"

"D'd I die...?"

"No, silly, it's just an expression~" She could hear the love and relief dripping from Victoria's voice as she was pulled up to a seated position and given a light kiss. "It happened again, didn't it?" she asked as she ran her fingers through Kate's brown locks.

"Mmm, I'm assuming. Max?" She finally seemed to be finding her footing again, mentally speaking. "Let's see... The first time was when you were in the bathroom saving Chloe. The second time you were..."

"T-The lighthouse."

"Right. The lighthouse. Just after we found the butterfly. And now this." Kate knew she was speaking evenly, perhaps a bit overly so. Sometimes it freaked people out, and particularly now as she did so about something so supernatural. "Sorry Max, I'm sure you didn't ask for it, but it looks like you've got yourself an anchor..."

Max's face fell and her eyes widened a little bit. "What? N-No, if anything it's the other way around. I'm messing around with all this time stuff a-and you're... Oh Kate~"

Of course she just smiled and shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh shut up. You've been given literally phenomenal chronal power. I'm a little overly-sensitive to weird shit, so it hits me hard. You couldn't have known! You just have to be a little more careful from here on out. We can work together, see if we can cut down on those nosebleeds and blackouts."

"Well well..." The four girls looked up to see local asshole Frank Bowers standing there looking somehow both amused and pissed. "We've got the weirdo, the princess, the criminal, and the brain. We just need the coach from Mighty Ducks in a letterman jacket and you guys can do a recreation of The Breakfast Club..."

Chloe sneered and leapt to her feet, causing Max to jump slightly to avoid getting hurt in the process. "That'd leave you to play the washed up fuckhead principal, dumbass."

"Fuck you, degenerate. I heard gunfire and figured I should probably come check it out. I don't like guns being fired on my turf without my say-so."

"Your _turf_?" Chloe barked a snarky laugh in Frank's face, and while Kate liked seeing the spine on the blue-haired chick, she was fairly certain this wouldn't end well if they kept this confrontational pattern. "Please, just because you peddle to half of Blackwell doesn't mean you run the town or anything? Shit, where was that protective streak yesterday when Prince Prescott pulled a gun on me?"

"Far, far away, because I'm not a goddamn idiot. I don't care if a Prescott walks into someone's house and kills every person in there, I'm not getting in their way. You, on the other hand, _you_ I will fuck with. And you owe me money, so you better wise up." He grabbed for Chloe's wrist, and her reflexes weren't their best after the beer she'd nursed earlier. Somewhere in the process she got a few scratches on her arm that were in danger of pushing her anger much, much further.

Kate was tempted to jump in, but surprisingly of all people, Victoria beat her to the punch. "Frank, dear, there's no reason to be like that. Nathan and I are loyal customers, no? Surely we've earned enough good faith we can pass a piece of it off to Chloe here?" She rested a hand on her shoulder, and it looked as though Chloe was harnessing every ounce of untapped energy to keep from freaking out.

"Yes, Frank dear. I'm not asking for much here, just a teeny tiny extension on the... um, presently unnamed amount that I owe you?"

"Wait, what kind of debt are we talking about here?" Victoria suddenly appeared less helpful and was starting to pull away.

Frank chuckled as the hand was drawn away from Chloe's shoulder. "Pffft, you might wanna wait until you find out before you jump to your friend's defense there. If my calculations are correct, our wanna-be anime heroine here has racked up three-kay."

She held up her arm which was now reddened and even bloody in a few places. "Yeah, well, I'm ignoring 100 of that due to damage to my..." She looked at the others for help when finally Max seemed to catch on to what she was saying and piped up.

"Your physical person?"

"Damage to my physical person!"

At this, Frank just laughed and started sauntering away. "I'm in an otherwise good mood and your attempt at being scary got a good laugh out of me. But you better have something for me the next time we run into one another or I'm gonna come calling with more than a swagger and a John Hughes reference."

When Frank was finally gone, Chloe roared and slammed her fist into the wall next to her. The heavy cement block wasn't exactly yielding, but if she felt any pain from the stupid decision, it didn't show. "I need to get some dust under my boots. Come on..." No one seemed particularly certain just how many of them the missive was directed at, and they didn't want to find out the hard way. Not when Chloe was brick-punchingly angry. So they all left together and headed off down the train tracks.

* * *

Although they were technically walking as a group, Chloe was mostly focused on hanging out with Max, and Kate stuck beside her girlfriend. She watched as they held hands and balanced their way along the beams. She couldn't help but give Victoria's shoulder a nudge with a wink and a grin. "Her best friend since they were little~ Am I the only one seeing sparks?"

"Sweetie, you think everyone is gay. You tried to convince me Taylor and Courtney were fucking..."

"No! No, I tried to convince you that _if they were_ , it would be normal and reasonable. I'm just sayin'~"

"You... can't just say 'I'm just sayin' and not expound! Just because you finally got me into bed, it doesn't mean that those two-"

The other two looked back over their shoulders, Chloe smirking while Max blushed like a maniac. "We can hear you, assholes!" Though they said nothing more, Kate could see quite clearly that Chloe was squeezing Max's hand.

Kate finally had the grace to lower her voice as she looked in Victoria's direction again. "Y'know, we've already seen, thanks to Max, some pretty intense evidence of quantum, multiple universe madness. So... theoretically, in roughly half of all worlds, we barely know one another. In half of _those_ , we're enemies. And until something happens, we'll never know what universe we don't live in. Until things change, there's always a chance, y'know?"

There was a very long pause as they walked along and Victoria stared off into the middle distance. Finally a weary smile graced her lips and she looked back at her girlfriend. "Yes dear..." That was Victoria's way of telling her a very complex set of premises. It said _I love you, you're very smart, I absolutely agree with you, but I'm super tired; you're allowed to keep talking, but I may drown you out._

Max and Chloe looked like they wanted to come to a stop, and for a moment Kate was happy to let them. But then she saw it. It was far, far more distant than the bathroom mess. Unfortunate timing, considering she had just been talking about other universes. A second, if that, of pure, unbelievable gore with a flash of blue. The witch felt like she might vomit if she had to look at it any longer, and if they continued to hang around, there was a danger that she might. "N-Not here. Um, bad... bad vibes. Bad... **bad** vibes..."

Victoria was the first to understand, and Max a close second. Only Chloe was hesitant to follow her whims just because she looked a little green in the face. But with Victoria and Max looking at her seriously, there wasn't much chance to fight back. Once they got away from the place, Kate felt steadier, and they returned to their vehicles without further incident.

When they got back to Blackwell, Kate motioned to Chloe with an embarrassed smile. "Look, I know today was kinda supposed to be just a 'you and your best friend' thing, and I feel bad about forcing my way into it. I figured I might offer you a tea reading?"

Max hopped out of the truck and walked with Victoria toward the educational building for their photography class with Mister... Whatsisface. Whoever it was, they both seemed to be nerding out about him hardcore. Chloe pulled the hat from her head and ruffled her hair slightly with a jovial smile. It was impressive, how expressive she was, so angry one moment, so carefree the next. "So long as you don't use it as a way to get in my pants, sure."

Kate actually got a pretty good laugh at that and stood by while she parked the truck a little more appropriately before joining her in a stroll toward the dorms. Chloe wasn't exactly her type, but she wasn't exactly not her type either. It was confusing, sometimes. The bluenette pulled up short suddenly and fiddled in her pockets. "Shit, all this activity today, I need some nicotine. I'll come bug you in a second?"

The little witch shrugged and lowered herself to sit on the stairs next to her. "Hell, I could go for a cigarette about now. The shit I keep seeing..." There was a moment of surprise before Chloe settled in next to her and passed her a cigarette and gave her a light. She breathed deep, feeling the immediate snap of calm come over her as she breathed out, coughing only slightly as she did so. "You understand though, yeah? Max is your best friend, and she saved you. But I feel like my head is caving in and Max is obviously at the center of things. I was talking big earlier, but you obviously mean a lot to each other. Seeing as you're probably about ready to kill for her, I'd prefer approval over disapproval."

"Is that why you're smoking with me and offering to tell my fortune?" Chloe wasn't dumb, even if she was known as a drop-out who continued to search for Rachel Amber despite all signs that...

 _Oh fuck. Just before I fainted..._

"Mmm, yes and no..." Kate took another drag, finding it easier this time. "Back when I was more rebellious than honestly different, I had a good year or so of wearing all black and smoking way too much. But mostly, it's because you're connected to stuff, and I think this could help us feel more prepared."

"You understand I'm dubious because you're shacking up with the head bi-" Chloe caught herself, only barely, and attempted to stop from digging any deeper. "I was never exactly fond of her, but she's definitely warmed up since the last time we crossed paths. When you and Max were passed out, she started getting all... weepy, and I had to calm her down." Although that was mostly meant as a comfort to Kate, Chloe seemed to take some pleasure in seeing Victoria cry.

Kate knew enough of what Victoria was like before they started dating. She'd heard stories and seen some videos. It wasn't pretty, but she could kind of understand it, even if she couldn't exactly sympathize. "She used to be a total bitch. I get it. But there's an entire dorky side to her that no one ever gets to see. I didn't tell you this, but" she paused for dramatic effect and got another dose of nicotine before continuing, "her favorite movies are basically the entire catalog of Studio Ghibli films. Quality stuff, but there's no denying she's a total nerd at heart."

There was a chuckle from the girl next to her, and while she honestly still expected Chloe to take that information and run with it, that did seem to soften her somewhat. "My lips are sealed." A pleasant moment of silence passed between the two, and there seemed to be a kind of genuine appreciation for shutting the hell up for the both of them.

The happy moment was shattered by another horror. It was getting to the point that Kate actually had a name for it, and that was troubling in its own right. Quantum gore, a moment of impossibility and awful bloodshed. The problem, this time, was that it was **her** , or at least some version of her, hitting the concrete with a sickening sound followed by flashes of people crying, then some cheering, then more crying, and then it happened a second time. She had trouble sorting out which particular fragment was the most upsetting – seeing herself die, hearing the noise as it happened, wondering why she looked so different, or noticing the student body gathered to watch it like some kind of show.

"It should be raining..." was all she managed to mutter.

"Did you say something?"

Showing a surprising degree of nonchalance, Kate tossed her cigarette on the ground and stubbed it out before getting to her feet and starting for the door. "More hinky bullshit. I'd feel safer in my room." She knew her answer was deceptively vague, but Chloe seemed okay with that. She really didn't expect to be getting along with her, but she was pretty okay when she wasn't freaking out about something.

Like everyone else, Chloe took a good look around her room as she entered. But unlike Victoria or Max, the first thing she found herself drawn to was a solid oak baseball bat. "Woah, Kate Marsh, what the fuck is this voodoo nonsense?" She held the bat aloft and admired all the carvings and drawings all over it. Various sigils and signs and runes, granting strength, speed, courage, protection, and more. But none of those were important.

Kate just sauntered over and grabbed the bat from Chloe's hand. "Do you know how long you spent looking at the bat? Easily a good five seconds or more. When someone is so distracted by what they think is going to be something magical, I've already had time to knock their nose so far into their skull it's resting in the reptilian hind-brain. Above all else, a witch is sensible and practical..." She set the bat back where it belonged near the corner of her bed with a satisfied smile.

"That's fucked up. I dig it." Chloe watched as Kate got everything into place and gave a little snicker. "Hey, you know how to make weed tea?"

"Yeah, of course, but it's not really great for tea readings because you've gotta add some kind of cohesive element and that ruins the..." Kate's answer probably came as a shock considering Chloe was just making a joke. "Oh, heh, sorry, I mean. Um. Oh? You can make tea out of weed? I am shocked and appalled that-"

"Are you fucking with me Sabrina the Teenage Witch? Or is this one of those things where Max wants you on my good side so you're supposed to pretend you're all cool and shit so I let my guard down?" It sounded crazy, and Kate couldn't help but laugh at the entire thing. The two didn't have nearly enough time to set up such an elaborate plot.

"Of course I'm serious, Chloe. I'm a pagan witch who was raised in a conservative Christian household. Do you honestly look at me and think I don't know how to unwind sometimes? Tea and cookies, those were always my favorite methods. Tastier, for one thing. Unfortunately..." she set the water boiling and seated herself on a cushion, "I'm gonna have to brew you something a little bit easier to read. Next time though, you bring the leaves and I'll make some killer tea for us. I promise."

In the end, she made her guest an earthy, herbal tea blend, something befitting Chloe's rough and tumble style. It was bound to taste bitter as hell, but she drank it anyway, and Kate was thoroughly impressed.

Finally she was given back her mug and she began to inspect it. "Butterfly. That's a popular one around here. Can't say I'm surprised..." she said, and as if it had been summoned, her little blue friend lighted on her shoulder. "Um, major change, but it sorta looks like... It's muddy, different from Max's, different from Victoria's... Sorry, I guess it's like... I-I don't know, something more literal maybe? That's my best interpretation..." Chloe didn't seem too rattled, since she was likely skeptical even with all the weird stuff they'd been seeing. "It looks like you're going to get a pet. A dog? Maybe?" It was so close to the butterfly, perhaps they were linked. "Shit, you drank some fucked up tea."

"As long as I'm not literally screwing the pooch, I think I can handle it." Chloe was trying to still be jovial, but Kate knew her demeanor at this point was making that difficult. Her dedication was admirable.

"I'm sorry, Chloe, it's uh... unh..." Kate's vision went a little blurry, and for a moment she was certain she was going to pass out again. But instead, she just heard the voice from before, that clear strong voice that was undoubtedly only resounding in her mind.

 _Stella... You have to find Stella... His 'perfect creation' is almost complete..._


	6. Orthodoxy is Relative

Snapping fingers in front of her face finally helped draw Kate back to the present moment. "Hey! Come back to me, Robyn Lively, I really don't need someone else passing out on my watch, okay?" Her vision cleared and she saw Chloe looking at her with genuine concern. Although she hadn't actively been trying to get on her good side, she was glad to see that they were already connecting a little. "You said something about Stella?"

" _Teen Witch_ reference... Clever..." Kate rubbed the bridge of her nose and sat up a little straighter. At least she didn't actually black out this time. "Did I say it out loud? Um, yeah, some kinda mystical-magical voice in my head. I-I think Stella's in trouble? Call it another vibe." She reached for her phone to check the time. "We can check with the girls when they get out of class. Stella wouldn't miss a class unless things were bad. If she wasn't in today, we can start to actually freak out. In the meantime, why don't I finish your tea reading?"

Chloe laughed, but it was obviously an attempt to cover any nervousness she felt. "Nah, fuck it. I've had enough weird shit for a little while. The last thing we need is for you to discover like... The Happy Squirrel or whatever."

"You make a lot of pop culture references when you're freaked out, don't you?" Not like Kate could talk, she was pretty damn freaked out too. She'd seen far too much death today, blacked out, heard voices in her head, read Max's mind from across town... This was going to be a long week.

Chloe, it turned out, was excellent at distracting when the need arose. For a while she just puttered around asking Kate about each weird little eccentric item on her shelves. But at some point, something stuck out to the witch that made her worried. She hopped up and walked over to Chloe, unthinkingly grabbing at her arm where Frank had scratched her a few hours before. "Jesus, does Frank Bowers have some kind of disease growing under his fingernails or something? You need this looked at!" What had originally just been a succession of pinkish streaks were now very clear red scratches, and the skin around them looked sort of infected and puffy.

Chloe was apparently completely distracted from her wound, but now that Kate had pointed it out, she seemed much more aware of it's hideousness. She grimaced and pulled her arm back, gripping it tight. "Yeah, it fucking burns, now that you mention it. Fuck, I'm lowering that debt my-fucking-self for all this pain he's causing me."

Kate suddenly jumped into action and began working with tiny jars of ingredients and some oil with a mortar and pestle. "Hmmm, burning scratches, so... and... just a touch of mint..." Chloe looked over her shoulder suspiciously at the concoction she was making. Kate used a gentle hand and began applying it to her wound. "This won't do much, so you need to get to a hospital as soon as you can."

Chloe attempted to pull away, but she stopped when it suddenly sent a cooling chill over her skin. "Jesus, you really are magic..." Kate just giggled and wrapped a bandage around her arm. "You're not trying to get in my pants are anything, are you? Cuz seriously, I've already got one missing ladyfriend and I'm in the process of re-connecting with a second ladyfriend."

Kate wasn't sure her eyes could roll any harder if she tried. "You just keep making meaningful eyes at Max and working on not getting gangrene, I'm perfectly content with one girlfriend, thanks..." This was probably supposed to be an awkward moment, but the two of them being so open about the awkwardness actually sort of diffused it. Finally her work was done, and in perfect time too. Her phone rang and she rushed to answer it. "Baby! Um, sorry for the random question, but... Stella's in your class right?"

There was a pause on the other end as Victoria processed what she'd asked. "Huh? Yeah, but I haven't seen her in a little while."

She could hear Max speaking as well, apparently walking out of class alongside her girlfriend. "I knew something was missing. Normally she's all over Jefferson as soon as class ends."

"Shit..." Victoria seemed to be slowly catching on, and Kate was already out her door and heading down the hall, beckoning Chloe to follow. "I think... The last time I saw her was last week? Um, yeah, at the party."

"Mkay, I'm just gonna check on her. Another little vibe, probably nothing. See you when you get back." Kate hung up, then approached Stella's door and brushed her hand over it. Finally she steeled herself and knocked as Chloe came up behind her. "Stella? You okay?" She paused a moment, leaving plenty of space for, say, a sick classmate to respond or climb out of bed and answer the door. But soon, more than enough time had passed and she tried again. Her heart was thumping, and although they had never been close, she was getting scared. The party, that was the last time anyone had seen her. The party she had been at. Had she seen something? Had she completely missed an obvious danger?

Her knocking got more panicked until Chloe stopped her with a sure grip. "You're gonna freak out the whole dorm, and I'm pretty sure you wanna keep this stealthy. Here" The bluenette knelt down and began picking at the lock of the door, paused in confusion, and then tried the knob. It turned without resistance and the door opened. "Oh come the fuck- We're idiots."

The two entered what was an otherwise perfectly normal dorm. A bit messy and lived-in, but it carried a certain style that was clearly Stella's. There were a lot of books, and the desk looked more used. Kate began poking around, just a little, expecting at any moment Stella would walk in on them, returning from some kind of vacation or something, yelling at them for breaking into her room like a couple of weirdos. Instead, they were joined by Max and Tori, which didn't really do anything to lessen Kate's nerves. "I don't know, I was hoping to find a clue, or maybe get another vision, but..."

"Ah, but luckily for you, I am a ne'er-do-well of many degrees. Check this out..." Chloe held up a plastic bag for the others to see, filled with smaller bags, containing way too many drugs. "Stella uses some pretty intense study aids, and if I had to wager a guess, Frank is likely the one who supplied her."

"Maybe she went on some kind of... bender?" Max was trying to be helpful, and while that was always a possibility, it spoke to just how innocent she was - if adorably so.

Kate pouted, deep in thought, and sat down on the edge of Stella's bed. "No... If that were the case, she'd be right here working until her eyes explode. There's no danger of that until finals. Max? Could you go check with Alyssa? I'm getting truly concerned, so I'm going to try something less orthodox..."

"Less orthodox?" Victoria sounded worried and stood in the doorway with her arms crossed while Max went off in search of Alyssa.

"I'm guessing your definition of unorthodox is different from mine?" Chloe chimed in.

Kate sighed and began sifting through Stella's possessions, looking for anything that could be considered a personal item of great value. "There's a lot of weird stuff going down that I didn't know anything about just a few days before, so the specifics and the terminology still elude me. But yes, I'm going to try and... I don't know, read her things? Try and channel her or see if I can contact her? Sorry, I wish I could be more confident about this stuff."

"Hey, Miss Cleo? How about we start with this doohickey instead?" Kate looked over to where Chloe was holding Stella's laptop with a snarky grin, and even her own girlfriend was forcing herself to stifle a giggle at her expense. "Give me some time and I can probably find something useful. E-mails and chats, maybe someone as organized as her even kept a journal."

Gentle arms enfolded Kate and hugged her tight. Victoria looked in Chloe's direction with a worried smile. "Hey, um, you can handle this right? Chat with Maxine and sort out what to do with this weirdness, yeah?" She looked back toward Kate, brushing her hair out of her face. "You need a chance to lay down and fucking relax.." Not that she was actually given a chance to respond before she was dragged off to Victoria's room and forced into gentle cuddles on the warm bed. She tried, she really tried to resist or talk, to keep thinking and solve all of these mysteries that were piling up. And the junkyard... and...

But sleep claimed her. Victoria was doing that thing where she played with her hair and hummed quietly to her, and she was out like a light. And just once, perhaps as a gift of divine charity, it was silent. No visions, no voices, just peace and quiet.

* * *

By the time Kate woke up from her nap, the light outside had faded. Apparently Victoria had been keeping vigilant watch over her the entire time, and she felt some pangs of guilt for just how much work the poor blonde had to put in taking care of her lately. As soon as her eyes began to flutter open she felt those wonderful nails rake through her hair again. "Hey..."

She smiled gratefully at Victoria and started to stretch a bit. "Hey. What'd I miss?"

The sigh that preceded the answer told Kate just how exhausting this week was going to get. "Alyssa had no clue, but Max said she sounded a little bitter, like maybe Stella had found someone new to hang out with? She hasn't heard from her since last week either. Chloe finally managed to worm her way into Stella's computer and she found some interesting stuff. There was also a solar eclipse, but according to nerdboy Warren-"

"Nobody was expecting it. Yeah, go figure. And I'll bet no one else around the world saw it but us..."

"Chloe suddenly got this kinda manic look and decided that she and Max needed to go investigate the principal's office or something? I don't know, I think she's still more obsessed with finding Rachel. She's certain something in the files there will help find either her or Stella."

 _Oh shit._ Kate sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Rachel Amber... Dammit, we... we have to go back to the junkyard, I have to know. I-I'm pretty sure Rachel is dead."

Victoria nodded seriously and climbed off the bed with her. "I was wondering when you were gonna bring that back up. You said her name just before you passed out, and you were staring at the ground like a zombie. Do you think...?"

Kate shook her head and grabbed her bag, starting for the door. "I don't think anything anymore. Everything is too screwed up. I'd rather be surprised than wrong." She stepped into her own dorm for a moment and began rooting around until she found the little gardening tool she kept on hand for ingredient-gathering. It wasn't much, but it would be better than clawing at the ground with bare fingers. The blue butterfly, as always appearing from seemingly nowhere, alighted on her shoulder and she smiled at it wearily. "Hey little guy, looks like it's time to solve this mystery. Sorry I'm a little late, I hope you don't mind."

The girls rode in silence to the junkyard. Everything was tense, and while Kate wanted to hope for the best, she already sort of knew where this moment was leading. Always the enigma, the butterfly was off the moment Kate stepped out of the car, and soon they found the patch of ground once again.

 _Rachel Amber..._

"Yes, I kno-" Kate groaned and massaged the bridge of her nose again. "Sorry, Victoria, that was directed at the voice in my head, not you. And now that I say that out loud, I realize how terrifying that is..." She knelt down and began digging, praying she didn't have to go the full six feet under with her tiny trowel.

The good news was, it was barely six inches below the surface. The bad news was that it was most definitely a dead body, and an old one at that. The smell was immediate and potent, and both of them wheeled away quickly. Kate could feel the bile rising and had to force it back down. Only by covering her mouth and nose was she able to move back in and grab a bracelet that was laid rather ceremoniously on top. The witch quickly recovered the uncovered hole and looked at the object she'd retrieved. "Just like Chloe's..."

"Wait, didn't Frank have one of those too? What the fuck is going on?" Victoria took the handmade bracelet and inspected it more.

While the blonde took a closer look at the accessory, Kate's phone suddenly blew up with a series of texts from both Max and Chloe, including some pictures of files and images from Wells' own computer. "Shit... Um, Tori..." Kate showed one image in particular to Victoria with a guilty frown. A document from Nathan's therapy sessions displayed the phrase RACHEL IN THE DARK ROOM over and over.

"Don't be sorry, he's... Nathan's been getting worse. He hasn't been around much lately, he's impossible to get a hold of. Frankly, this makes as good an excuse as any to finally confront him tomorrow. And while I'm doing that, you should probably tell Chloe the truth." Kate agreed, even if she wasn't particularly looking forward to it. "Maybe Max can check in with Frank? Either he knows why Rachel is dead, or he'll want to help figure this out."

Kate was beginning to realize just how much she had been leading the charge as she watched Victoria's gorgeous mind whirl away figuring out their next step. She was just so tired, even with that nap she'd snuck in. They'd barely figured out anything yet and she was utterly exhausted. She moved wordlessly to Victoria's side and hugged her tight.

"I've seen so much death today. Real death. Potential death. Quantum death. I'm sick and fucking tired of death. Can we go home and have sex now?"

"Absolutely baby, you can have all the sex you want..." Victoria kissed the top of Kate's head and led her back to her car.

Back at Blackwell, while the witch and her girlfriend were otherwise engaged, Chloe was busy pushing Max up against the wall of the heated pool, pressing close to her, and kissing her hard on the lips. Eventually there would be security, and running, and hiding, and a vortex, and more death. But for right now, they were a bunch of teenage girls, and Chloe was feeling _feral_.


	7. Countdown to Weird

It was a quiet morning, a desperate attempt on everyone's part to remain totally cool and collected considering the chaos that was continuing to unfold around them. Wake up, shower, contemplate oblivion, eat breakfast, ignore all the dead animals, go to class, refuse to watch the news report about the beached whales, etc.

By the time all the girls reconverged, it was nearly noon, and they decided to meet at the Two Whales for a briefing. Unfortunately, there turned out to be a few elephants in the room. Max was covered in hickeys and wearing borrowed clothing, Chloe was knocking back coffee like an addict, Kate looked like death warmed over, and Victoria was fawning over her and constantly making sure she was okay. But no one was particularly ready to talk about any of these oddities, so instead Victoria opted to set up the plan.

"So... Nathan clearly has some explaining to do. And he won't like that we saw his private stuff from therapy, so I'll be taking care of that..." She didn't look terribly thrilled about the idea, but no one else was chomping at the bit to do it either. "Max, you're such a puppy dog yourself, I thought you might be able to worm your way into Frank's heart and chat him up for a while. Rumor has it he'd kill a man for his dog, so use that to your advantage. He sold shit to Stella, maybe he knows who captured her interest enough to tear her away from school." Victoria paused to bite into her sandwich, encouraging Kate to eat something. She wasn't fond of being babied, but she knew she needed to eat something.

"Chloe, you go with Max back to campus. I want the two of you going over Stella's computer with a fine-toothed comb. I know you found some good stuff yesterday, but sometimes... um..." Here is where the old Victoria would have dug in with everything she had, and all three of them were fully aware just how much tact she was showing at this moment. "Well, we have lives and shit, so I understand if you didn't get through much yesterday. I would also check up on any social media accounts and whatever else you can find, maybe ask some folks, try to see who had eyes on her last. I wouldn't be surprised if things went down at that party..."

Chloe knocked back her third cup of coffee and set it down with just a little too much force. "And Rachel Amber...? Or are you guys giving up on that just like everyone else?"

It took a great deal of effort from both girls on the other side of the booth to not share any kind of significant look. Once again, Victoria was quick on the uptake, saving Kate who had been plagued with nightmares pretty much the entire previous evening. "Kate has some theories and ideas she wants to run by you. Once you get a good lead on Stella, you can switch off and work on finding her too. Besides, she mentioned something about special study tea? She won't tell me what the fuck that means, so just... y'know, be responsible..."

The reminder of the promised tea did help entice Chloe, and naturally she had some pretty quality stuff in her truck just begging for a brewing. Kate tried her hardest to seem eager too, but in the end she hardly even made it through half her burger, and only from some very intense prodding from Joyce did she agree to take the rest of it back to the dorm with her.

"Oh shit, looks like Max's target is right here. Heads-up, hippie, he's gnoshing hardcore on some beans, so approach with caution. According to Joyce, he's one of the only people who gets them, and he orders them a LOT..." Chloe gave a smirk and a wink as she stretched out. Kate gave her goodbyes to Victoria before joining Chloe in her truck as they returned to Blackwell. After they departed, Victoria broke the news of their discovery the night before to Max and passed her the bracelet they'd unearthed. With any luck, Max would find something.

Unlike the previous day, the ride to Blackwell and the approach to the dorms was silent, but not comfortably so. Kate was deep in thought and Chloe was a little restless and it wasn't meshing as well. "Hey, I don't mean to press my terrible luck or anything, but could we... maybe start with Rachel Amber stuff first? I'm just... I-It's nice to finally have some back-up, and I'm itching to actually make some real progress for the first time in months!" Kate smiled wearily and led the way into her dorm.

"I hear you. Tell you what, let me know whatever you've got on her so far while I get that tea going..." Chloe tossed her the weed in question, and Kate retrieved the butter from her minifridge and got to work mixing and brewing. All the while, Chloe rattled off a general sort of timeline as she understood it – how the two of them met, all the shenanigans they got up to, the way she started to drift apart, the new person in her life, and then... nothing.

Kate finally passed her a cup as she sat down on the floor with her, idly looking some things over from both investigations. "Well, I know it's not much to go on, but there seems to be something going on with Frank. Stella was likely supplied by him, and I know Rachel was the supplier for the Vortex Club for a time. It's up to Max to find out if that's coincidence or not. Hopefully with enough rewinds she can work something out." With a single gulp, her own tea was gone, which wasn't like Kate at all, not even when the tea in question was narcotic. A warming glow came over her in slow, soft waves. Finally, she was feeling some peace. "And of course Nathan. God, he's really been getting worse, not to mention the whole... gun... thing..."

Ugh, death. Kate had always respected the process of death, the cycle of life, all that. But now she was beginning to loathe it. "Chloe... In just a few days, I've seen you die a handful of times... I... I saw myself from another universe commit suicide yesterday. I'm terrified that Stella is probably already dead. And... And there's no way for me to properly process this anymore..." The concern was obvious on Chloe's face, both for Kate, and for what she was about to say. "Rachel Amber is... She's in the junkyard. Her... Her body. I had a premonition thing... So just on a whim we went and checked it out. Chloe, she had been there too long. Way too long. I'm sorry. I-I'm so sorry..." Kate had really hoped to do this after a while, when the tea had taken a full effect, but her nerves made her jump the gun and now here they were.

The change was immediate, Chloe's breathing became rapid, her pupils dilating slightly. She was almost... huffing, emitting this low inhuman sound, not quite a growl. Like Kate, she killed the drink in one go and set the mug aside, then got to her feet and started pacing slowly. It was as if there was a countdown, and Kate could see it visibly, noting the seconds until Chloe exploded or imploded or just started going rick-shit-riot or... really anything. She was such a canonball, anything seemed possible.

Well, almost anything seemed possible. Which made it that much more impressive to watch as the impossible still managed to happen instead. The butterfly, all but forgotten at this point, was suddenly front and center in the room, placing itself squarely on Chloe's forehead. It looked as though the girl was about to smash it or rip it away, but suddenly the glow of its wings intensified and spread out, until the butterfly seemed no more, just a kind of gentle spreading mass of blue light. It kept right on going until it was nearly the same height as Chloe, the shape of it slowly enclosing back in on itself until it was the rough form of a human girl. Features appeared slowly – fingers, hair, a general approximation of clothes, facial markings, and finally a feathery piece hanging down one side.

And where the butterfly once was, lips kissing Chloe's forehead with love and affection and understanding.

Max suddenly burst through the door, looking like she had some big news to spill. "Guys, things just keep getting-!" She stopped the moment she saw her childhood friend (and if Kate had to guess, much more after last night) being tenderly kissed by the ghost of her dead replacement friend (and if Kate had to guess, etc.). "...weirder and weirder..." She stared on longer as the two continued to have a Moment.

And finally, Victoria was the last to join. She stumbled forward, shoving Max out of her way – though not so much from a lack of compassion as a lack of consciousness. She was pale, withdrawn, completely out of it. She only barely managed to make it to the center of the room where she was able to fall into Kate's lap, revealing two bloody red marks on her neck.

Kate glanced over toward her alarm clock and sighed. "One o' clock. It's just after one and I'm already content to give up and just go to bed."


	8. Story Time

There was a great deal of energy in the room at that moment and it hit Kate like a tidal wave. Flooding her mind.

 _A friendly cop reveals the drug dealer's heart of gold. Beans are paid for and the time traveler makes herself a fluffy new friend. A few rewinds later and the sandy-haired hipster has nearly everything she needs, but it still doesn't seem enough. She knows she's untouchable so long as she can keep moving time at her whim. So she pushes, and questions, and baits, and compliments, and finally reveals the bracelet. She's a snoop, it's what she does best, better even than manipulating the timestream._

"No no no no..." Kate groaned and shut her eyes tight. It was too much. Too many thoughts and memories and stories at once.

 _The beautiful girl with the long blonde hair bends at an attractive angle for the man with the camera. She wonders idly if he's even taking the shot or not. She wonders what he would be like in bed. She assures herself that anything between her and the blue-haired punk is all in her head. He tells her to take off her top – an order, not a request. Anything for art._

Max is about the only one in the room with all her faculties still in place, so she jumped into action.

 _His room is dark, and she knows immediately something is wrong. No snide words on the tablet outside his door. The projector isn't running. And it's messy. Normally he loses it when there's a cup in the wrong spot, but the place is totally out of sorts. Only light coming from the hallway even lets her know that he's in there. She says his name in a voice no one else does – in a way no one else probably ever will. With loyalty and dedication and honest concern. A shadow on the bed moves._

Kate thought she was the hero, but Victoria had shown such wisdom, and Max was so quick on her feet. Her girlfriend's neck was bandaged with a torn bit of clothing.

 _The dog trusts her almost instinctually, meaning his owner does too. In almost no time, the honesty begins to flow as the two non-canine ones share a cup of coffee down by the beach. It helps, knowing that if she says too much she can always go back. But when she tells him what she can do, he just laughs and agrees that it's fucked up. And then he shows her what he can do. And considering she's a time traveler, she's still thoroughly impressed._

The pieces were coming together, and Kate wanted to be excited about that, but the present remained a hellhole that made no sense.

 _The thing is, when you die, you're still there. Call it a soul, call it a spirit, call it fucking bullshit, but you don't just disappear into nothingness. So the horror of being killed didn't stop after her brain stops functioning. She has to float and watch as the psycho slices off her arms, marveling at her wrists for the hundredth time. If only she had understood what he meant when he said he wanted her for her wrists._

"So are we gonna talk about this or...?" Max asked with regards to the ghost just standing there. It was a reasonable question.

 _She reaches for the light switch and he snapped. She knows he's been fraying lately, but she didn't know it'd become this bad. She asks about Rachel and the Dark Room, but it's as if he doesn't even hear her. He rants and raves. His father and the Prescott patriarchal tradition. Blood and honor. So much blood. And now that he's a man and a senior at Blackwell, it's time he joined the Brotherhood. She becomes filled with terror as fangs gleam in the dark._

The ghost gave a shrug, which was an odd thing to experience in retrospect. "Um, well, I died, and I was a butterfly for a bit. And then they found my body, and now I'm a ghost."

 _Even with all she'd done and seen, to see a man erupt into a beast was something frightening. She gives a shriek and the pup in her lap jolts slightly. He is no longer intelligible, but the meaning is all too clear. She is not the only freak. There are others out there, and her burden is lighter. And much to her delight, the big dog enjoys ear scritches as much as the small one. And when he is himself again – or perhaps no longer himself – they talk of Her and drugs and the Club and some prick with thick-rimmed glasses. In her mind's eye she sees the scratches on that lanky arm and she knows she has to hurry back._

"So we now have..." Max held up her hand and counted across her fingers. "A witch, a Time Lord, a ghost... And there's a good chance you're a werewolf and she's a vampire."

 _Was she a human dreaming she was a butterfly? Or was she a butterfly dreaming she was a ghost? Or was she a ghost of a girl who, inexplicably, became a glittery blue butterfly. Was she an aging hipster with dreams of finding the perfect model? Or had she merely been in possession of a pair of wrists that brought his creation one step closer to completion? She had nearly lost herself until she found the beacon – the earthy girl who saw her for what she really was. Her chance to Remember. Her chance to Become._

It's even stranger to see a ghost be embarrassed, but Rachel hasn't been spectral long enough to lose her humanity. "Frank infected her, no question." Perhaps there would be time later for Chloe to understand properly why that statement made her so mad.

 _There is a sharp pain in the neck. Of course there is. Two points. Because he is a vampire. That thought runs around her mind on a track as the blood leaves her. That was why he disappeared, that was why he hated the light. The thing that actually shocks her isn't this complete breach of normalcy, but the crying that follows as her consciousness fades. Not just sappy whimpering, full-on sobbing. He always cried like that, built it up over time until he exploded. Even now, even with his lips coated in her blood. He says the word Sorry so many times it loses all meaning, and then Something happens. And she's only Kind Of Dead._

…

…

Victoria sat up, clinging to Kate and burying her eyes in her shoulder. "It's way too bright in here... Where're my sunglasses?" The witch gave a cry of joy and hugged her tight, only finally aware that she was crying, though in fact she had been in tears as soon as the visions hit her. With fumbling hands she hunted down a pair of sunglasses and passed them to Victoria before closing the blinds and turning off all but the most essential light in the room. A vampire. Her girlfriend was a vampire. _I can live with this. This is fine._

"So... We've found Rachel, albeit posthumously." Kate motioned broadly to her head. "I got a nice little headache-inducing catch-up when everyone showed up. Near as I can tell... Everything goes back to your uh... Mr. Jefferson." All of them, save Chloe, had managed to reach that conclusion through their own investigations, but no one was particularly thrilled about it. Two of his brightest students now knew the truth.

"But I still don't... get it. He... He took your arms? Is that his thing?" It wasn't like he would be the first serial killer to take a trophy or whatever. But wasn't it Rachel who had told her to find Stella? And that 'perfect creation'? "Any idea?"

"No specifics. Only that sometimes he would talk about this art project he was working on, and then he would get this shine in his eyes. But normally when that happens it's beautiful, not slightly horrifying..." Kate was learning a great deal this week. At the moment, she was discovering that ghosts could get chills. Poor Rachel, Kate had only connected to her a moment, and even that had been so awful. "When he took my arms, he was somewhere else. A room, white and bright, somewhere in Arcadia."

That phrase. White and bright. It hurt to hear it, and Kate had another moment of cosmic panic before remembering there was no reason for those words to have any meaning to her. They were just words. Kate looked back at Victoria, still needing to adjust to the paleness of her skin, the slight sunkeness of her eyes. And yet, she was still her beautiful Tori. "And Nathan...?"

"He would never admit it himself, but he's just a pawn. Ever since his d-dad..." She cut herself short, not really ready to say such a terrible thing out loud. Nathan, for all he had done, was still one of Victoria's true friends. For quite some time, they were the only ones who understood each other. The witch snuggled up to her, ignoring for now how cold she was already. "There's a lot more at work here."

Kate groaned, though it was the exasperated sound of someone who had a test they'd forgotten about rather than an entire town to save. "And the storm. We still have no clue what's up with that, except that animals keep dying and, oh yeah, apparently we got our very own eclipse! No one else but us, how very spe-" Only Victoria's hand clamping over her mouth kept her from going any further.

Max stood up, once more showing how far she'd come in just a few days, taking a kind of leadership where Kate seemingly no longer could, hard as she had tried. "Jefferson first. Stella could still be alive, and I don't like the idea of him having some big secret project that involves killing people. There's not much we can actually do about a storm, right? Do our best to warn people and get them to shelters or whatever. Besides, I have to believe it's connected. All this weird stuff happening at once? It can't be a coincidence, can it?"

"Okay, but all Rachel can remember is what the place _kind of_ looked like," Chloe interjected. "It's not exactly much to go off of..."

Victoria was already getting back to her old self, raising her perfectly manicured hand with a smug smile. "Just because Nathan fucked up doesn't mean I didn't get what I wanted. And if my girlfriend hadn't interrupted me..." It had been a while since Kate had seen Victoria get truly mad, and she had forgotten how terrifying it was, particularly with the new inhuman edge. "His family owns a lot of properties. The kinds of places no one ever goes. The kinds of places you could do messed up shit and never be found out."

"Frank was telling me about some place way out in the boondocks Nathan had him deal at... This is getting weird..." Max hugged herself a little tighter now. No one in the room looked thrilled at the moment.

Kate rose to her feet finally and went for the bat Chloe had been admiring just the day before. Back in the simpler times when it was just Max time traveling and her having visions. "So then let's go and wreck his stuff..."

"What if he's there, genius?" Chloe shot up, half motioning in Rachel's direction as if to remind everyone how dangerous the aging hipster really was.

She hefted the bat and gave it a practice swing away from everyone else. "Then we wreck his face while we're at it." Feeling bolder now, she slung the bat up against her shoulder and looked them over. "Look, I hate to turn into some kind of young adult novel cliché here, but... Chloe, you've got the blood of a monster in you now. Even without a full moon, you could literally tear Jefferson's arms off in revenge if you wanted. Victoria, that goes double for you. Once it gets dark, you'll be basically invincible. If Max is careful, she can blink all over the place in a second. And Rachel, who even knows what it means for you to be incorporeal!"

Her little speech nearly did the job, but Victoria moved to her side and looked at her with wide eyes. "Babe... what about you? So far, all you've gotten out of this is hypersensitivity and blackouts... And don't lie to me, you told me about that stupid bat after our second date..."

Any courage she had built up was threatening to topple. But she'd come too far to flag now. Kate was in a 'go big or go home' mood. "Tori! I'm standing in a room with two mythical creatures, an actual ghost, and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time! Anything is possible!" She motioned to the weapon in her hands. "For all I know, this thing actually works! It's not like I've ever actually tried before. If even half of these runes do what they're supposed to, then I'm magically protected and setting everything I hit on fire. And if not, half that bookshelf there is spellbooks and grimoires from various traditions. Something in there has to work. We can do this. I can do this!"

As if on cue, there was one more flash in Kate's mind. But there was no pain anymore. Perhaps the threshold had been passed or Kate was adapting, but it seemed to blend seamlessly into the universe she already knew. It stopped being exhausting or terrifying. She welcomed the images like a movie playing in high definition right in her own consciousness.

 _A fight. A photograph. Another chance. A butterfly on the hearth. Keys in the sink. The bus is so eco-friendly. Another world. A heart racing. A wheelchair. Whales. Harrison Ford. A request. A choice. And the universe corrects itself, with a little help._

Kate feels a big smile grace her lips and she looks at Max with a glimmer in her eyes. "And I think I know what to do about the storm..."


	9. Old School

"This is fucked."

"Right? This is totally fucked..."

"I feel like we're saying that a lot this week."

"Yeah, well, that's because this is fucked."

While it was nice to have a group consensus, Kate rather wished the conversation could be just a hair more stimulating. Granted, everyone was still very much confused and on-edge. Chloe was still coming to grips with her lycanthropy, Victoria was totally glossing over her vampirism (though she did find she enjoyed the excuse to cart around her lace parasol), and Rachel was trying her hardest to act human despite the fact she could fly and move through walls and was, in the strictest and loosest terms, dead.

It was a rough time all around and everyone really wanted to just be okay. There were two major road blocks to that particular scenario, and they were presently discovering the first. It wasn't just that Jefferson was a kidnapper or a killer or straight-up creepy, weird, and wrong. He was a madman. An old-school madman from a pulp novel.

The barn was easy enough to locate, and between the five of them they were able to rip open the trap door, discovering the sketchy hallway and making their way inside the bunker. But it was difficult to be prepared for what was inside. It was neat and tidy and included far too much... 'stuff'. There were portraits of unsettling subjects, food and water rations, one entire area dedicated solely to some kind of med lab, and a photography studio.

And the jail cell. Well, it was more of a large cage set into the wall. Kate was the first to notice the whimpering, realizing it was occupied. "Stella?" Not thinking, she rushed to the bars and pressed up against them. Whoever was inside immediately recoiled and tried to hide in the shadows. Things were not getting better. "Hey, come on. It's okay, we're here to rescue you, and then we're gonna trash this place and get the hell out. A-And we're gonna make Jefferson pay. We're all friends here..."

"Yeah, among other things," Chloe quipped, but a glare from everyone else shut her up quickly.

"N-not..." came the voice from the cage, and it was shockingly soft and sweet, beautiful even. It wasn't Stella's voice to Kate's dismay. They were too late. But they could still save this girl, couldn't they? "Not Stella. Not Rachel. No one."

"...That's... That's okay. You **are** someone. That's all that matters. We can still help you." Kate pressed more against the bars, trying to see who the poor girl was. Surely another Blackwell student. But no one else was thought to be missing yet. So who were they talking to?

"He wanted me perfect. He... I-I failed. He will destroy me. He should. I am horrible." Kate could feel her heart breaking, and it seemed she wasn't the only one. Everyone was feeling the crushing weight of the moment – here in this place of abominations, hearing this single flower growing out of the shitheap talk about herself like she was just a thing.

Chloe was the first to take more dramatic action, of course. "Fuck that..." In a state of intense grumpiness and exhaustion, she ripped the door away from the cage like it was nothing and urged the girl within to come out into the light. She was able to put up a decent amount of resistance, but there was only so much struggling before Chloe succeeded and leading her out to join the others.

There was not so much a chorus of gasps as a large space where sound probably should have been, a collective void.

Quite literally, every part of her was beautiful. She had been stitched together from all of Jefferson's victims. There was no way of telling yet just how many that included, but it was a lot. The trouble was that there was no cohesive wholeness, and the stitching was amateur. Skin tones varied, and it seemed there were two entirely separate eyes occupying each socket. She was beautiful, but disquieting.

"My wrists..." Rachel was so horrified, and yet she approached closer still. The patchwork girl began to back away, but even in her phantom state, Rachel's charisma won out. "You poor girl. You didn't ask for this. Please, I..." A pale hand pressed to her chest, drawing attention to a simple sheet being her only choice of clothing at the moment. "Even with a mind as sharp as Stella's, it does you no good in that shell. He couldn't give you a soul. But I can..."

"Rach'!" Chloe tried to stop her, as if such a thing were possible, but Rachel was already phased into other girl, possessing and inhabiting her. "Shit shit shit... Did it work? Are you... you?"

There was a noticeable change in posture, a slight glimmer in the eyes that wasn't there just a moment before. Her hip cocked and she reached up to run her fingers through her red locks. "Like a charm. Little loud though, but I'm sure we'll work that out..."

"Loud? We?" The witch was the first to catch on, and now that she had, she did notice a slight echo in her voice, wondering if anyone else could hear it. Perhaps it was just another Thing now. "Please tell me we don't have to call you Legion..." You could take the girl out of church, but you couldn't always take the church out of the girl.

"Mmm, I believe it was Jefferson's intention to call us Eve, had this whole thing worked out. But since we seem to be a reject, maybe Lilith would be more appropriate?" She gave an appealing little stretch, and no one in that bunker was wholly able to look away. "We're... Shit, sorry, _I'm_ not just Rachel. Stella's in here too, and let me tell you, her little doped up brain works fast, even without the drugs. There are others too, going back to the eighties." Another pause, as 'Lilith' let herself adjust to... something. "No... No fucking way... U-Um... It's the ankles. They were... Rebekah Weinstein's. From New York. Some time in the _eighteen_ -eighties."

As she continued to test-drive her new body, she showed them back toward the med lab area and started motioning to a few things. "I don't have specific answers or anything, but here. The stuff that's kept this body going, and kept Jefferson on his feet long enough to be older than Jesus is in here..."

"Actually, Jesus was only in his early thirties, I think you meant to say older than Mo-" Kate was shushed by her vampiric girlfriend before she could go on any longer. For someone who so despised the religion she grew up with, it still surprised her how much stuck in her mind.

"So we're dealing with a combination Frankenstein-Hyde?" This had become headache-inducing, and the exhaustion was evident in Max's voice. "What are we even supposed to do against someone like that? **Can** anything be done?"

Lilith shrugged, which wasn't the kind of gesture that inspired much confidence in the other troops. "I would imagine if you chopped off the bastard's head that would stop him pretty quick. Draw and quarter the fucker and then bury his pieces across the country. Burn him down and scatter his ashes to the four winds. He's sturdy, not invincible. Of course, there's still that whole storm thing, maybe just let the one cancel the other out, hm?"

Kate shook her head, not ready to let a bit of weather wreck her home and friends. She still had her back-up plan after all. "One thing at a time. First, we trash this place and leave him a message."

Everyone looked at her curiously. Max finally raised a hand as if she was talking in class. "I would think wrecking his shop of horrors would be enough of a message, Kate."

"Perhaps, but we need some time to make everything work. Smash everything to bits, but leave one camera and tripod intact." Kate was grinning now, slightly manic, and it was as infectious as it was frightening.

* * *

Mark Jefferson entered his refuge with an exhausted sigh. He managed to make it a few steps before it occurred to him that something was seriously wrong. It didn't take long to sort out, mostly because the entire place had been turned into a garbage heap. His sanctuary, his private chambers, his Eden - found and destroyed. The defective creature couldn't have done it, she was too dim. And there seemed to be a lot of traffic, suggesting multiple assailants.

This also made it much easier to notice that there was still one precious camera untouched. On it was an instant photo of... "Max Caulfield. Shame, you were going to be my first choice for the new Eve. Perhaps you still could be." There was another girl, someone he vaguely recalled as a friend of Rachel Amber. Ah, now there was a tragedy.

"So you left me one camera. I have to assume..." Yes, everything deleted except a video file. He started it up and watched with growing fascination.

The video was clearly taken post-destruction because both girls were breathless and cheerful. How droll. "Jeffershit!" cried the blue-haired one. "This is our gift to you! A new beginning. We even took your beautiful model off your hands. Can't have you getting your hands dirty. Well, dirtier, you naughty boy..." She winked, and Jefferson immediately rolled his eyes in disgust.

Max was giggling and stepped a bit closer to the camera, tilting her head and looking overly-adorable. Those eyes, they would have been perfect. Now, he would be content just to... Well, no sense spoiling the surprise for himself. He would wait for inspiration to strike. "But we are generous gift-givers. Backsies are totally allowed. You've got a big day of teaching classes and committing borderline pedophilic murder in the afternoon, but if you're interested in showing us your appreciation, just come on by American rust tomorrow night."

"But Max!" Now Chloe was busting out all of her infomercial acting chops. "Isn't tomorrow the big Vortex Club party?"

Mimicking the style, Max nodded dramatically, looking faux-sad. The longer this went on, the more Jefferson was ready to smash the camera before they could finish. "It is, Chloe! So I guess you've got a pretty big decision to make. Play the teacher and attend the party to give the big Everyday Heroes Contest news..." The girl saluted here, and Chloe had to stifle a laugh. "Or! Come to the junkyard and teach us a lesson."

"And remember, Jeffersonovabitch... This action will have consequences."

The video ended, and he crushed the camera between his hands like it was constructed from cheap balsa wood. "I'm so sick of this fucking town."

 **[A/N: This chapter is dedicated to everyone. We made it y'all, and this is my treat to you. I promise you, this story will have a good ending. No grimdark here 3]**


	10. Ebb and Flow

It was, perhaps, a touch foolish to go back to Blackwell to sleep, especially with Lilith in tow. But the girls were feeling destructive and bold and lighthearted. So Chloe crashed with Max, Kate crashed with Victoria, and Lilith was given free access to Kate's room (since she pretty much already had it). That next morning, Max and Chloe gathered up a pile of food for everyone from the Two Whales and they all convened at the junkyard.

Victoria was obviously the most unhappy of the bunch, dressed head-to-toe in as much skin-covering clothing as she could bring together, including a hoodie and oversized sunglasses. She unceremoniously rubbed her eye underneath the glasses and groaned as she leaned up against a junked car hood. "I thought the plan was to come here tonight, not at the asscrack of dawn, sweetie. Just because it's only a myth that sunlight kills vampires doesn't mean it doesn't irritate the shit out of me."

Of course, even Kate was still working on waking up, and she gave a rather impressive yawn of her own. Only Lilith was aggravatingly chipper, because apparently she didn't need sleep nor was she particularly interested in it.

"We need all the time we can get to prepare. Victoria, if it's any consolation, you and Chloe get to spar and take out your aggression on each other. Max, Lilith, and I are going to work out what the hell we can do. I'd like to help Max avoid nosebleeds if we can help it, and Lilith is a bunch of drift compatible consciousnesses piloting a Jeager of stitched-up women. If we weren't on a time crunch, I'd want a few more days of preparation, but we have what we have..." Max sleepily gnawed on a bagel in one hand, raising the other in the air. "Yes, I realize you have time powers, but it would be a little redundant to use them just so we have more time to figure them out."

The werewolf and the vampire were both feeling less than enthusiastic and decided to rest in the shade of the 'club house'. Kate couldn't blame them, and it wasn't as if she could force anyone to do anything. Over the last few days, if she'd learned anything, it was that she wasn't able to do everything herself. It seemed as though everyone had taken the lead on making decisions at some point. So she would let the two powerhouses sort it out while the rest of them did... well... whatever they were going to do.

"So, black magic woman, what's the master plan? How do you keep the time traveler from having an aneurysm?" It was hard to get used to the newest member of their ridiculous little team. She was smart and snarky and had a great many beautiful features, but the inconsistency of her look made it hard to think when you were looking right at her. And still you could hear a touch of both Rachel and Stella in there. Never mind that she ended up borrowing clothing from Max, Victoria, and herself just to find something that fit. She was inconsistency incarnate.

Kate finally just left Lilith there to provide the color commentary, and brought her focus over to Max. "Well, I guess first things first, how... do you do it exactly?"

Perhaps unsurprisingly they were one question in and already Max was looking slightly bewildered. "How do I do it? Um, I don't really know, Kate, I just kinda..." Max slowly extended her right hand, and already Kate had like five new questions. For all intents and purposes, she had been inside Max's head, but she still knew almost nothing. Perhaps because Max didn't either. Where had the powers come from? What were the limits? What about that vision Kate had from the other universe, with the photograph? What other twists were still left to be found out?

"Have you tried it with the other hand?" The question popped up so casually from Lilith that for a moment the other two turned and stared at her dumbfounded. "Or like... both hands? A foot?" Kate looked back at Max and was offered little more than a bewildered shrug. Her right hand dropped, her left hand rose, and for a split second she was gone, then popped back into reality. Like an afterimage, Kate had seen just a haze there while Max disappeared, but otherwise it was like she left or... "Go figure, that's the fast forward button. Now that's handy!"

"Yeah, but it's just as much of a pain to make happen..."

Kate stepped toward her a little more. "Max, other than your hand, I mean, there must be something else you do. Like... a muscle you flex or a thought or something?" Theoretically, her friend had control over her powers, and that meant that something had to initiate them, even if it wasn't initially clear.

Again the awkwardness returned, and for a split second Kate understood her girlfriend's frustration with Max's twee hipster thing. She was a freaking time wizard but she didn't seem to comprehend exactly what that meant. Powers like that should have given her more confidence, but she was still so nervous all the time! "I guess I um... I like... flex my brain kinda? Does that make sense?"

She rested a hand against poor Max's shoulder and squeezed gently. "It does, it makes perfect sense. That means when shit starts going wacky, you're overworking yourself, you're forcing your brain so hard it's hurting you. So your goal today is to stop flexing so goddamn hard." She brought her hand down from her shoulder and stood just a little distance from her. "Close your eyes for a moment."

Max was understandably concerned about where this was going, but she did as she was asked, and even Lilith had stopped her commentary, curious about what the witch's plan was here. Hell, even Kate wasn't totally sure, but she had a captive audience, so she had to say something.

"Time is a dimension and a force, Max. Like anything, we have learned to understand it and measure it to the atomic level. We have theories about how it acts in relation to other forces. It is likely constant, unchangeable in most terms. When you do whatever it is you do, your brain tells you that you're fucking with the universe, ruining everything, doing something that should not be." Kate's hand tightened into a fist as she found her rhythm. The sound of Chloe and Victoria finally getting their fight underway could be heard in the distance. Trains passed but were little more than a dull rumble in the moment.

"But that's bullshit. You have this power now, and anything you do with it has an explanation, a reason, an understanding, something. Throwing a stone into a pond causes ripples, and shifts the water around it. But eventually it settles again and the water level rises almost imperceptibly. The universe is ageless and will balance out eventually. If I fold a piece of paper or crush an empty can I have not irreversibly altered it, I've just rearranged it. That's all your doing, folding time, adding a rock to a pond, learning to direct yourself in the river's flow. Own it, use it, _be a badass, Max Caulfield_."

Things shifted, and Kate was no longer able to see Max, or even a hazy afterimage for that matter. Max was completely gone in the folds of time, and whatever sensitivity she'd developed could no longer pick up on her activity. She turned around a bit, panicking slightly, suddenly feeling arms enfold her from behind, hugging her tight. "...Kate... Thank you..."

The fluffy witch blushed heavily, more so when she saw Lilith hugging her from the front. "That was really pretty. You're good at this stuff. You should do me next..." Her tone made it tough to tell when she was being sincere, but Kate heard her sniffle and allowed herself a little private smile. No innuendo intended, and she wouldn't ruin the moment by pointing it out.


	11. Be Here Now

In a flash, quite literally, Max was gone – off to join Chloe and Victoria, and to show her new-found powers. It was honestly touching, to see just how gleeful she was, finding peace and power within herself. Lilith released her hold on Kate and stepped back with a satisfied, proud look. "You did good, Marsh." Slowly, she lowered herself back to rest against a crusty old washing machine. "Hey, look uh... The truth is, I don't really need you to give me a pep talk like you did Maxine over there."

Kate leaned up against an equally broken dryer next to her and watched the others continue to go at it, sometimes fighting, sometimes looking more like they were just playing games. Frankly Kate didn't mind either way. "So then...?"

"Jefferson shot this body full of whatever bullshit he's been using to keep himself going. So I'll be running tank for our little party here. Theoretically the two of us could duke it out forever and never really stop. You, Kate? I know you're worried about your role." Ugh, that hit a little too hard, a bit too close to home. Lilith was a little too smart for her own good. "You're not the leader, you're not the support structure. You're the heart, little one."

"Little one?"

She laughed and gave a shrug. "Sorry, some of me is rather old. All the sass and bitterness builds up over time."

Kate's arm crossed over her chest as she stared at the surrounding garbage. Garbage... Everyone else looked like powerhouses and beautiful angels, but Kate felt a bit... garbage-y. Maybe what Victoria had said the previous day was true. Perhaps she wasn't much use to the group after all. "So I'm the Ma-Ti then?"

"In your defense, he's the one who got to be friends with that cool monkey. And you've got Alice." Kate shot her a frown that hopefully spoke to all the disappointment she was feeling with this chat. It wasn't nearly as uplifting as she wanted. "Okay okay, in all seriousness... Kate, do you know what a prophet does?"

"They predict the future?"

Lilith clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Come on now, you're better than that. No, more often than not, a prophet's job is to see the present moment _as it is_. That's what you do, what you continue to do. Your tea reading was a fun hobby, but from the moment all this chaos began, you've never predicted the future, you've been connected to the present in a way that no one else can be. The future and the past, Max has those on lockdown. We need you grounded in the present. I thought calling you our heart might be more sentimental, but if you prefer, I'd say you're the core." A gentle hand rested against Kate's shoulder, squeezing slightly. "I'm going to go join the melee before everyone gets tired. Just... Take your time. The asshole isn't showing up for his beatdown until hours from now."

And now it was just her. Kate, alone, with all her worries and fears. Hugging herself, she moved away from all the junk and refuse, and found a grassy spot to sit in and a tree to rest against. Her eyes closed only to shoot open a moment later when she heard the sound of something approaching. It was the cruelest thought she'd had in a while, but she desperately hoped it wouldn't be her girlfriend – or really anyone else. She wasn't ready for humanity just yet.

But her hopes were validated as she turned to see the spectral deer she'd first noticed days before. That first day, it had been merely an observer, keeping an eye on the four of them as events unfolded. But now it was here alongside her, investigating, getting close. Kate watched as it began to shift, body shrinking, ears elongating, and it slid with a certain fluidity into her lap. And now the spectral deer was a ghostly rabbit, and it all felt a bit too pointed. But then again so had a lot of the things that happened the last few days. With trepidation Kate let her hand travel against it and found that it wasn't entirely incorporeal. Her hand actually met resistance and she felt fur below her finger tips. It certainly didn't seem to mind, and something about this quiet peaceful moment before things went off the rails spoke to her on a deep level.

"Is it true, little guy? I mean, here I am sitting around and petting you when I should be... I-I don't know, planning or helping or something! But at the same time, I'm petting a ghost that just shapeshifted from a doe to a bunny, which not a lot of people can say. I-I guess I do have a way of seeing things, but... I also get so exhausted and snarky and sarcastic. I don't want anyone wasting their time protecting me when they could be fixing things." The witch huffed and hit the ground with her free hand, grateful that this rabbit was far more peaceful than poor jumpy Alice. "And do I actually know what I'm going to do about this storm? No, I have no clue, just some stupid idea that probably won't even work!"

Her head slumped against the tree and she stared up into its branches, looking at the leaves that had already started changing color. "I know I'm not actually garbage, but I'm damn sure not a prophet either. I'm just... me..." With her eyes staring upward, she didn't notice the creature beginning to shift again, but she did feel the lack of furry texturing, a more general sort of amorphousness. Finally she glanced down in time to see the hazy, warm light start winding its way up her arm to spread out through her chest. Her mind blurred out slightly and...

 _Chloe watched as Max did another trick for her, flitting back and forth across the entire junkyard with that same smile she remembered from five years before. And just for a little while, it's like no time has passed. They're just pirates playing at some dumb, stupid game. Only now it's not a game, and Max really is some kind of time traveling wizard, and she really did get scratched by Frank Bowers and became infected with lysol-antagonism or whatever Kate had called it. And Rachel really did decide to permanently possess some freakish monster and became a whole new person. And it sucked and when Jefferson showed up she was going to channel every ounce of her rage into pummeling that asshole into mush. And maybe, finally, when this was all over, she would tell Max just how important she was rather than just eyeing her constantly and fucking her like a monster. Maybe._

There was a kind of calm peace and serenity flowing through Kate at that moment as she began to rise to her feet. "Lycanthropy, Chloe, it's called Lycanthropy..." she whispered It didn't hurt any longer. Was this part of what Lilith had been trying to tell her?

 _There was a little song bouncing around in Max's head as she swished everywhere and anywhere at her leisure, no longer tied down by pain and confusion. Whatever Kate had done, whatever magic she had summoned, it worked. She finally understood the gift she'd been given – it was just that, a gift, not a curse. And she was able to enjoy it, and use it to the full extent that her imagination could pull off. She would never be able to hit as hard as the others, and she would be dead if she got struck by anything more dangerous than a light tap. But with careful precision and a few choice words, she could keep Jeffershit distracted long enough for the others to wreck his ass. Then it was just a matter of stopping an entire storm and she could spend some proper alone time with Chloe. With any luck, she could get a repeat of the night they broke into Blackwell. That had been... breathtaking._

It had been one thing to simply see events as her companions saw them, to experience their moments and memories. But now she was in their heads, understanding them more in mere moments than she had through any of their other interactions. Kate began to hum along to the song Max had been singing to herself.

 _Lilith watched everything going on with an amused smile. The lovebirds focusing more on their flirtatious playtime than doing any actual training. The way Victoria stomped her foot, hollering at them to get their act together. Kate off in her own little world, looking so adorable and peaceful. In truth, it was actually quite easy to believe that they were both teenage girls and also the heroes trying to save this town at the same time. You could see it if you were careful, and Lilith was observant as hell. Rachel's spirit had been concerned by the chorus of voices that greeted her when she first merged, but they were swiftly learning to act together as one. One girl's intelligence, another's wit, another's fashion sense, another's courage. It was hardly a perfect union, but no committee was perfect. Well, if blondie wanted an actual practice fight, she would give her one._

Kate reached up and ran her fingers through her messy tangled hair and smiled to herself. To be present in herself while still seeing the world from so many other viewpoints. It was confusing and frightening the first time. Now, it provided her with a sense of wholeness, the same feeling one got stargazing, a shocking realization of your smallness in the face of an infinite universe.

 _Victoria liked the swift and satisfying back-and-forth of trading blows and catching punches with Lilith. She needed this, a moment to just unleash and distract herself from that gnawing darkness – the realization that she actually was a bloodsucking creature of the night. She'd managed to avoid it so far, and she hoped to at least finish the rest of this bullshit week before she had to face it. Throwing her all into this moment helped distract her. The solid thud of fist meeting palm, the pleasant feedback that reverberated down her arm. But eventually she tired and called for a break, turning to look at Kate. Poor Kate, wonderful Kate, beautiful Kate. A wave of guilt washed over her as she remembered what she'd said the day before. She had practically called her girlfriend useless! What kind of terrible person did that?_

Kate grinned and ran, closing the gap between herself and Victoria, wrapping her up in a tight hug. Only after she'd latched onto her did she realize that it probably seemed out of nowhere. But finally understanding herself, understanding those around her, it was freeing. "Come here..." She took Victoria's hand and pulled her over toward the ragged little clubhouse. "There's something I want you to do, Tori." Maybe she was being a little dramatic considering how hard Victoria was trying to avoid her vampirism, but at the same time, it had been almost 24 hours since Nathan bit her. She would need a pick-me-up before Jefferson showed up. "I want you to drink my blood..."

She expected that her girlfriend would look guilty or worried, or straight-up refuse to do it. Instead, she pulled away her sunglasses and moved the hood from her head, then leaned in and sunk her teeth into Kate's neck without a second thought. She was so desperate and hungry, Kate should have expected it, but it still hit her hard. Her eyes shut tight and she latched onto Victoria's hoodie, whimpering pathetically. Something about this was a million times more intimate than their private moments in bed. Lucky for Victoria, this meant she had a willing victim for as long as she wished. They would make it through this together.

Victoria finally pulled away, and Kate could tell how reluctantly she did so. She was still learning, and if she wasn't careful she might have drained her. She felt weak, but not to the point that she would be unable to help the others. And looking up at the blonde as she wiped a little bit of stray blood from the corner of her mouth, the effect she'd had was more than worth it. "Oh, Katie... You are... How do you do it?"

The witch fiddled with her hair, looking aside as she rested herself on one of the torn-up car seats. "Do what?"

Her Tori just sort of motioned grandly to Kate. "This whole... thing you do. The visions, the pain, helping Max unlock her powers, casually acting as though Lilith isn't the weirdest thing you've ever seen... Looking after me..." Slowly she joined Kate on the awkward seat and nestled against her. "I can barely take care of myself sometimes. When I'm not leaning on you, it's poor Taylor and Courtney picking up my slack..."

Kate hugged her tightly and allowed the quiet moment to settle over them. "There was something I knew a long time ago, and then this pretty blonde wanted me to read her fortune and I kinda forgot it. You have to step back and see the world for what it is. You're not the main character, you're not the hero. It's an ensemble cast. So I'm trying to do my part to look after everyone. Buuuuut... I'm also selfish sometimes, and I want to lavish a little extra love on my girlfriend." She let loose a little giggle and ran her fingers appreciatively through Victoria's pixie cut. "Speaking of selfish, you won't judge me if I hide like a little babby tonight, right?"

"I would be angrier if you tried to join in. I won't stand for anything happening to you!" It was nice to hear that, and it allowed Kate to relax a little bit.

 _Lilith huffed. First she lost Chloe to her little time-hopping waif, and now her other sparring partner was off making out with her girlfriend. What in the hell were they doing here, because it clearly wasn't training anymore!_

Whoops, Kate hopped up, pulling Victoria with her. "C'mon, Lilith is getting pissed..."

Right on cue, she heard shouting from outside. "Oi! I thought we were prepping for a doomsday battle, not flitting around like a bunch of nymphs! Come on, people, let's do this!" Victoria looked at Kate with slightly widened eyes but the look quickly softened as it dawned on her that Kate being able to predict someone getting angry was hardly the weirdest thing they'd seen lately. "Ah, I see someone finally got her shit together." Lilith noted the pair of marks on Kate's neck and grinned, causing the witch to blush. "In more ways than one. Come on, I think it's time for a tactical planning meeting."


	12. Scrap Yard

Not long ago, Kate would have been furious that things were about to go down and she was here hiding in this stupid clubhouse. But like everyone else, she was finally starting to appreciate how these things worked. If there was going to be a fight, she didn't want to be there, Victoria didn't want her to be there, Lilith didn't want her to be there... Hell, Jefferson would probably be worried about hurting her. So fine, she'd hang out here and pray for everyone's safety. Sometimes, when things were at their worst, she reverted to her old ways. This seemed like a good time to admit that maybe prayer could work.

 _It was getting easier with every passing moment to see the world from an outside perspective._

Jefferson had arrived, discarding his glasses and jacket in the passenger seat of his way-too-nice car. With the precision of someone who had all the time in the world he rolled his sleeves up above his elbows and straightened himself out before stepping into the junkyard. His approach wasn't stealthy, and it didn't need to be. "Miss Caulfield? Miss Price? I tell you what, if you give me back my model and apologize like adults, maybe I'll kill you quickly. Otherwise, I swear I will extend your punishments for weeks. Months if need be..."

Kate smirked to herself as she stared up at the sky through the holes in the roof. It felt as though everyone else was smirking right alongside her. He thought he had some kind of upper hand here. It was sort of cute. In a few moments, he would be regretting talking big. With any luck, he would regret a great deal more than that.

Max and Chloe stepped into what little light there was in the junkyard from the heavens above and the distant streetlights. Max at least was wielding Kate's excessively decorated bat, slung across her shoulders. Chloe was armed with nothing but her winning smile. "You're terrible at negotiations, Jeffershit" Chloe quipped. Kate didn't even need to be in her head to know she was enjoying this way too much.

The teacher gave an exaggerated groan at the horrible nickname. It wasn't even clever! But she seemed so proud of herself for inventing it. "...Very well, I assume that you think we should do this the hard way? Do you understand how terrible an idea that is?"

Right on cue, Lilith stepped out behind him. Kate had tried desperately to convince everyone to take this seriously, but she was the only voice of reason here, it seems. Everyone else wanted to make their grand entrance before beating Jefferson into the dust. "Oh, we're fully aware, Mark. I made sure to bring everyone up to speed on all your shitty behavior." Despite his attempts to remain cool, it was easy enough to hear his breathing pick up, his eyes widening slightly. "Surprised? Thought you might be. My greatest joy will be seeing you die without ever knowing how it is I got my faculties back. Thanks for nothing, by the way. If you want me back, you're gonna have to work for it."

"That's fine, I'll break you down into pieces and start again." His voice was steely, but his face was red, his breathing uneven. Surely by now he could sense things were not on the level here.

Victoria walked out with her signature pout, completing the walk-on cameos of the evening. "Mr. Jefferson! How can you be so mean? I trusted you... I... You were my Everyday Hero!" She couldn't maintain the drama very long and gave a sharp laugh. "Of course that was before I saw you for the psychotic killer you really are. And I'm going to take great pleasure in utterly destroying you, **and** burning every last one of your photographs."

With everyone making their entrances and getting their quips in, Jefferson was itching to go at it, and in seconds the fight began. For a while, everything was right on target. Max began whipping around the junkyard, keeping the teacher busy. When he did actually manage to get in a punch or kick it was generally in Lilith's direction, meaning it was relatively useless. Chloe relied on her newfound strength, Victoria on her imbued speed.

Frankly, Kate was grateful no one expected her to be part of the melee. She'd be knocked out in seconds.

Unfortunately, a day goofing around in a junkyard and enacting a plan created by a teenage girl wasn't much to go off of. Even outnumbering and perhaps overpowering the villain wasn't enough. Jefferson had decades of experience over them. Chloe went down first, after taking an unexpected kick directly to the chest that sent her flying against the wrecked school bus. Without a proper full moon, there was no way for her to really unleash. And once Chloe was hurt, Max's concentration went to garbage, leaving her open for Jefferson to roughly grab her by the throat and lift her up like it was nothing. "One of you moves, and I execute her without a second thought. Oh, and your friend over there might want to think about coming out of hiding..."

Kate had completely and utterly fucked everything up. This was supposed to be a moment of triumph, and instead Chloe was likely suffering some severe fractures to her ribs, and Max was seconds from being wiped out of existence. Kate had to assume in her current state she couldn't even do anything to time, not while she was being choked within an inch of her life. She stepped out to the sound of the asshole's maniacal cackling. "Miss Marsh! Of course, we have to round out this little circus with one of Blackwell's biggest freaks. So sorry for our first meeting to be like this, but life is funny sometimes."

The witch approached slowly, holding back the desire to fire something back at him. Now was not the time to be a petty asshole when her friend was in serious danger. But as she looked skyward for a moment, it occurred to Kate that perhaps this _was_ the perfect time to retort. "Look..." Her eyes flitted back down and she looked in Chloe's direction, receiving a nod and a toothy grin that looked a little sharper than she remembered. "You have one and only one chance to let Max go and not be obliterated, Marky Mark. Why do you think I was hiding? It's because everyone else said I was too powerful. They all wanted to get their licks in before I was allowed to do anything. So I'm telling you again, set Max down, and I won't annihilate you with powers called up from the aether beyond your wildest fever dream..."

Any remaining anger drained from his face and he was left only with amusement, tossing Max aside to the ground. Victoria and Lilith huddled around her and watched in horror as Kate continued to bluff, seemingly as oblivious to the oncoming storm as Jefferson himself. "Okay, give me all you've got. Avada kedavra or whatever. I'm game."

"Hm? Oh, sorry, no, I'm not going to do anything. But **she** probably isn't too happy about you threatening to kill Max..." Kate pointed behind the photographer, and he turned, screaming at the enormous blue wolf that now stood mere feet away. "Now you could try apologizing, but somehow I just don't think that's gonna do it. Toodles..." As Kate walked away to join the others, there was a sickening noise that was pretty much all splatter and no crunch. Whatever Mark Jefferson's innards were composed of, they were no longer fully human.

"...wh... what the hell just happened?" Max seemed to be dealing well enough with her girlfriend being the same size as her own truck, but her confusion was understandable.

Kate motioned toward the sky with a satisfied look on her face. "Just this once, the apocalypse worked in our favor. Check it out, two moons..." Sure enough, there was a pair of full moons among the stars where only one half moon should have been. It was completely impossible, but against all sense, Kate was alright with it this time. The horrible sounds continued in the background, and everyone was in agreement that it would be wise to move away from the carnage toward the junkyard entrance.

As soon as they had shown, the moons were gone again, and Chloe eventually emerged some time later, naked except for some general viscera, and completely unphased. She had at least had the presence of mind to fetch the scattered remnants of her clothing and fished out her truck keys, passing them to Kate. "Here, you seem like the most responsible one at the moment. You can drive." The other scraps of clothing went somewhere on the floor of the truck and she wrapped herself in less-than-hygienic flannel blanket before climbing in the passenger seat.

Kate took the wheel of the truck and Max settled in to keep an eye on Chloe. "Can I entrust you to sneak her into her own house? She's gonna need a shower and a change of clothes, and probably some rest. Barely infected a few days and she already got forcefully transformed by a freak double-moon and then turned human after such a short time. The fact she's coherent at all is amazing. She's really amazing."

Chloe was already snuggled up against Max, out like a light, and the brunette was toying with her hair idly. "She is..." At the moment, she was a bit lost in her own world, admiring Chloe, full of love and worry and probably a touch of arousal if she was being honest.

Victoria leaned in the driver's side window with a similar smile in Kate's direction. "We'll be right behind you. And I guess we can figure stuff out from there? Um, don't we still have like... a storm to stop or whatever? That seems like one of those things we shouldn't take too long to sort out."

Kate knew that Victoria had a good point, but she also hated the idea of pushing everyone too hard. Just as Lilith had said, she wasn't the leader, she was the heart. She wanted to look out for everyone, keep them safe and healthy if she could. "We only have Max's vision to go by, but it doesn't hit immediately tomorrow. Not until at least noon or so. Enough time that Chloe can get some strength back and we can maybe find at least a tiny something to eat. Tonight was bad. I get the feeling... tomorrow may be much worse..."

 **[A/N: You may be wondering, why is Chloe's werewolf form covered in blue fur? Only the hair on the top of her head is dyed, and it really makes no sense whatsoever. Luckily, I have an answer for you: I don't care. I wanted a blue werewolf and I made a blue werewolf. If this is a problem for you, please feel free to never tell me because I won't listen.]**


	13. Katerina Ex Pharos

**[A/N: Oh, jeez, I am so sorry everyone! I did something silly while uploading and everybody got to see all the extraneous unnecessary formatting stuff! It's gone now and the chapter should be lovely to look at. Thanks to Lyta Halifax for letting me know~]**

"This is your grand idea? The lighthouse?" As usual, Lilith was the one with the worst filter, but there was no ignoring that pretty much everyone was equally unenthralled. True, all this had seemed much bigger in Kate's mind. But arriving here now, being at the structure for the first time in a while, she realized just how totally boring and gross the lighthouse looked if you weren't seeing it from Kate's perspective.

This was going to take some work. She stepped up to the building and looked it over. Yes, it was especially rusty in some places, and it hadn't been fired up in ages. Unlike a lot of other lighthouses across the country, the town of Arcadia Bay was so small that there was no need to declare the lighthouse a protected monument. It remained in place only because it looked pretty and was far enough out of the way that everyone was too lazy to do anything else with it.

"You just... have to try and..." She sighed and turned back to look at them. "Look, every time Max had a vision, this lighthouse was always part of it. And she told me herself, she feels sometimes like it's drawing her to it! And so have I, like... it's this part of the town, older than everything except maybe the Prescotts themselves. If anything can tap into some raw, natural power in this weird little hamlet, it's this lighthouse. Plus, we'll be out of the storm's path."

"Hey, that brings up another excellent point..." Now it was Chloe's turn to voice her confusion and complaints. "This weather seems particularly... unstormy. Is there really supposed to be a town-destroying tornado in less than 12 hours?"

Well, now Kate was just getting a bit frustrated. "Chloe, last night, the sky suddenly sprouted an entire extra moon for long enough to turn you into a giant wolf, who then proceeded to utterly decimate a man who has lived for a century and a half, trying to construct the perfect woman out of pieces of other women. If, after all that, you can't imagine a tornado appearing out of nowhere, I don't know what I can do to help speed that along..."

"Shit, I was just asking." Chloe already had this whole 'constantly hungover' look, and now she looked even worse for the wear. In fact, pretty much everyone did. Hell, Kate kept freaking herself out with horrible thoughts that the storm wouldn't be the end of things, that somehow there was another week from hell just around the corner. Even Lilith looked rough, and it wasn't like she needed sleep or food.

As if to drive home the weirdness, the wind began to pick up as the sky went a shade or two darker. Kate pointed a finger upwards, almost violently so, eyebrows raised. "Now, we should probably get started..."

Max and Kate had already gone over the finer points of her other undiscovered powers, mainly the fact that she could travel backwards through photographs. Much of the morning was spent exploring just what this meant, though at least Kate was able to keep Max from actually changing anything while time-hopping. She was confident about the mechanics, but there was no way of knowing if they would actually translate. If not, this would be a significantly more depressing end of the world.

But unlike everyone else, all Kate had was hope and faith. No powers, no super strength, no magic. She had to believe that this would work. That was kind of her thing. The plan itself was very straightforward in a way, Max would funnel her time powers into the lighthouse, channeling it into being a kind of beacon. From there, well...the rest of her plan still relied a lot on figuring stuff out on the fly. But she believed, she had to.

The wind was getting worse when Max finally pressed her two palms flat against the cylindrical wall of the lighthouse and started concentrating. Kate's hair blew about her face and the sky continued to shift darker still. It was just as the first inklings of despair began to gnaw at her corners that a few things happened all in succession, as though the universe was trying a little too hard.

The top of the lighthouse, a place that hadn't shone in perhaps thirty or forty years, suddenly burst with light in every direction. Max bounded back with a bright laugh, and everyone was just about to join in when the first crack of thunder sounded along with intensely bright lightning. And when their ears stopped ringing, the silence was filled with slow applause approaching from the lone path leading down to the beach.

The others turned just in time to see Mark Jefferson walking up toward them. Everybody took a few steps away, Max nearly tripping over the bench in the process. He was in one piece, and seemed to be smiling, though he was still covered in much of the same viscera as Chloe had been the night before. _Oh fuck me... That disgusting concoction keeping both his body and Lilith's moving. He had actually managed to reconstitute himself after Chloe ripped him to shreds._ He had nearly ended things last night, and only by complete chance had they managed to stop him. Now it turned out that they had only stalled him a while.

"It's a cute magic trick, I suppose, but hardly impressive. So if you're done, I'm going to utterly destroy each of you, and then go hide in _what's left_ of my bunker – thanks for that by the way - until this little doomsday storm passes." That one threat was all they got before he lunged, and only the combined efforts of Chloe, Victoria, and Lilith were able to stop him and drag him down.

Max grabbed Kate's arm and looked her desperately in the eyes. "Kate, whatever your instincts are telling you to do, you'd better do it now, because we are out of options. We'll keep him busy... somehow..."

Trusting that her friends could do this, Kate turned her full attention on the lighthouse, and finally saw it. It wasn't just the obvious portion – the entire inside of the structure was glowing brightly. Beams pushed their way through the cracks in the door, and as Max told her, Kate trusted her instincts and threw it open, dodging inside.

* * *

 _Somewhere, Kate has always been a good Christian girl, and when the unthinkable happens she nearly ends her own life. Somewhere else, she succeeds._

 _Somewhere, Kate kisses Chloe Price desperately on the lips because no one has ever stuck up for her quite like that before._

 _Somewhere, Rachel Amber and Chloe put the moves on Max simultaneously._

 _Somewhere, the five of them all get high in Chloe's truck._

 _Somewhere, Victoria has Max bound in the basement of Blackwell and she has never been happier._

 _Somewhere, a young Kate and Victoria spend a day hanging out in a theme park._

 _Somewhere, Max's photography is on display in a gallery, and as desperately as she wants to stay, there's a town that needs saving._

 _Somewhere, Alice nibbles on Lisa, perhaps erotically. Somewhere else, a lamp rests seductively against a worn leather chair._

 _Somewhere, Mark Jefferson is only in his forties, and instead of dismembering girls, he just kidnaps and photographs them. Somehow, that version seems far worse than her own._

 _Somewhere, Brooke is giving Kate drone-flying lessons, and next thing she knows they're kissing._

 _Somewhere, Max Caulfield realizes that her love for Chloe Price is worth more than she could ever explain. Somewhere else, she allows her to die. The needs of the many. The needs of the few._

 _Somewhere, everything is happening at once._

 _But there's always a lighthouse..._

* * *

It's a little like tea-reading, but the mug is roughly a lightyear in diameter and bends with spacetime. Everything ever is laid out in front of her, and it is only by the grace of an unkown force that Kate's vision is limited to the bounds of Arcadia Bay. But regardless, they were all there, every little piece of time and space within city limits, waiting, begging for her to play around with them. It would have been as easy as swiping a hand to switch two realities without warning. The simplest thing in the world. Time did not exist, and so she had all the time in the world. She could make everything absolutely perfect. So simple...

"No!" Kate's head screamed as she tried to wrangle back some semblance of control. "You are... not a goddess, and you are not the only hero... One job. One job Kate, and then we leave. Just have to... I have... to..." Every not-second she spent in this void it became harder to think. So many lives to play with, all these worlds...

"Stop it!" As a child, Kate assumed that sitting through a sermon or a lecture from her parents was the most agonizing thing one could experience. But fighting her own innate desire to fix things was unbearable. "Stop, just... Just have... to... M-My friends... Victoria... They'll die you idiot!" It was strangely frustrating to not have any solid surfaces to slam her hand into. This was ultimately a world of pure will.

Finally, she managed to ease her distractions by throwing all other worlds aside so that she could focus her attentions completely on her own reality. Everything was frozen, the melee of three teenage girls fighting one horribly mangled ancient instructor, and Max standing off to the side, only able to stare in horror. "All those lives already ended... And more to come if he's not stopped. And all the while, a tornado of unimaginable power... What if...?"

Slowly she examined bits and pieces from other worlds. She wondered if she could somehow stitch an ending together out of all of them. But the problem always remained the same, the storm. There was no reality near enough from which she could rip some kind of anti-storm, it was just always there. "What the hell are you?" Kate glared omnisciently at the storm as it began to form in the bay. "Not natural... Not even supernatural... Cosmic?"

Kate could sense she was running out of humanity and would soon become lost in her own personal time vortex, so she made a few final flicking motions and...

* * *

Kate fell to the rough dirt in front of the lighthouse just in time to watch as Jefferson faded to little more than particles and the storm disappeared as quickly as it came. In seconds everyone was around her, Victoria hugging all the breath out of her from one side, Max doubling the efforts from the other side, Chloe ruffling her hair. Even Lilith, who so far had only mastered the emotion of 'disaffected,' managed to look beyond pleased.

"Baby, what the hell was that?" Kate could feel Victoria peppering her face with kisses. Goddess, her head was pounding so hard now. Still, all the affection felt nice, and with everything seemingly over, there was a definite calm over the whole moment.

Giving a soft sigh, she finally looked at her. Being back in a single reality made her appreciate the little things, like the way Victoria's lips naturally formed a kind of pout, or how her hair had little lovely brown streaks running through it. Rather than answer the question immediately, Kate pulled her girlfriend in for a soft kiss on the lips, cooing as she did so.

Victoria finally pulled away, pleased but stunned. Everyone around them looked equally confused. "Um, that was nice and all, but it doesn't really answer what you just did..."

"Yeah, I was kinda hoping to distract from having to explain. I'm not sure I can, unless one of you knows what it's like to see in eight dimensions instead of three or four..." Shaking fingers raked through Kate's hair as she tried to explain anyway. "Jefferson had... a body-count. The storm wanted a body-count. So I just fed his actuality into it's potentiality. I think? I'm still not totally clear myself. In the moment it felt like a math problem – subtract from one side, add to the other, it cancels out. It was so easy..." The realization came over her in waves. "I killed him. I mean, I'm glad you all are safe, but... I-I-I killed someone... And there was no remorse. I almost started playing god, just because I could."

She was babbling now, and losing touch with reality. She was dissociating, and before long she was only aware of Victoria's arms, and movement, and a car ride, and a bed. If the arms ever stop holding her, Kate wasn't aware of it. Perhaps it had been minutes, perhaps hours. The little witch was just so tired, and before long she fell asleep.

* * *

Victoria talked to Nathan, and he talked to his father, and soon the chain of command ensured that Jefferson's disappearance would remain an unsolved mystery that no one would ever bother with. The remains of his terrible lab were to be filled with concrete in a week's time. Lilith, the only remaining sign of his presence in Arcadia Bay, was content to bum around with Frank or her Blackwell friends. Soon, 'Lily' was a scarred, confusing, but accepted part of everyday life around town. Brooke has been showing a particular interest in her, and seems to be one of the few students who knows the truth about her.

Victoria and Nathan adjusted to vampiric life together, more close-knit than ever. They resumed control of the Vortex Club, leaving daytime activities to the likes of Taylor and Courtney and leading the charge on anything dealing with nightlife. The whole process was made much easier for the both of them when it was pointed out that they would be forever young and beautiful and rich. They were already making plans to take over Arcadia Bay over time, planning on making it the greatest town in America. It was touching, in a maniacal sort of way.

Frank dropped Chloe's debt in honor of her part in saving the town (not to mention that whole 'infecting her with werewolf disease' thing). He helped her learn to control herself, and Max was all too eager to play with both of them and Pompidou whenever the full moon came around. Needless to say, Chloe dealt with things in her own kind of style and stride. The blue fur remained a mystery, and she still couldn't pronounce lycanthropy.

Max's powers stuck around for good, and every day she'd learn more about their limits and what would happen if she overdid it. No matter how much science nerd stuff Warren told her, she still couldn't fully work out if all the apocalyptic stuff was her fault or not. She opted for a life of ignorant bliss, content to take photographs and dream of her future with Chloe.

After everything that had happened, Kate was more than happy to go back to a quiet life. She remained Victoria's mysterious weirdo girlfriend, and together they would cuddle and watch anime and talk about anything boring and normal. In time, she began giving tea readings again, providing everyone with mysterious fortunes. If anyone ever consulted her about Jefferson or the storm, she would shrug, pet Alice ominously, and say the stars refused to tell her anything. For a brief window, Kate had been allowed access to the expanded universe, a direct hand in crafting time and space as she saw fit. With that enormous power, she just made one change and bowed out.

Like any good witch worth her salt, Kate was quite happy with a life of books and tea and relative solitude. She was an old lady at heart. Kate Marsh had saved countless lives, and as far as she was concerned, she had earned the right to never do a damn thing ever again.


End file.
